


A Particular Brand of Justice

by altargaryen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Batman/Catwoman Vibes, Because seriously WTF DLF?, Boss/Employee Relationship, But let’s be honest so is Rey, But not Scales of Fate slow, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Espionage, Eventual Smut, F/M, General Kickassery, Idiots in Love, Jealousy, M/M, Mutual Pining, Protectiveness, Secret Identity, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Spies & Secret Agents, Vigilante AU, ben is an idiot, the smut has arrived
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-12
Updated: 2020-03-01
Packaged: 2020-03-02 06:09:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 23
Words: 116,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18805294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altargaryen/pseuds/altargaryen
Summary: He’d been watching this woman for months now. The Robin Hood wannabe who went only by the Scavenger, using her unique skill-set to defend the undercity’s most vulnerable while also robbing the rich blind. He’d seen her take out goons double their size and she’d escaped his grasp more times than he cared to admit. There was no doubt in his mind that she could handle them well enough on her own.But he’d been waiting here for hours just to land a punch or two. There was no way he was going to let her have all the fun.“Oh, somebody’s getting lucky tonight.” His raspy, modulated voice echoed down from the shadows above. “But it won’t be any of you.”





	1. Ain't That a Kick in the Head

**Author's Note:**

> I did a thing and joined [Tumblr](https://altargareyen.tumblr.com/) (eeeep). Come say hi please!
> 
> Chapter titles based on songs. I also have an ever growing playlist that I listen to while writing, and song inspo will be included for each chapter. Now buckle up and hop on board. This train has a tendency to fly off the rails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Icky Thump - The White Stripes  
> all the good girls go to hell - Billie Eilish  
> Ain't That a Kick In The Head - Dean Martin

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/46919179075/in/dateposted-public/)  


Whomever labeled Coruscant “the city that never sleeps” had clearly never stepped foot in the undercity.

The pulse of life thrummed steadily in the towering buildings that rose up to the heavens, but down here, perched in the shadows, it was eerily silent.

Just his luck.

Under normal circumstances, getting roped into his mother’s gala would’ve likely meant he was forced to take a night off; the first he’d had in weeks (a fact that Chewie loved to remind him of each morning as he brought in his steaming black coffee).

But _no_.

What it really meant was that he had to waltz around with some brain dead model on his arm, poorly attempting to schmooze his mother’s “friends”. This, of course, led to throwing back one too many glasses of champagne in an effort to make the evening remotely tolerable. And those two things naturally led him to make a mess of things with one Rey Niima. _Again_.

The whole thing was ridiculous really. And entirely _not_ his fault.

He just didn’t like seeing other men disrespect her. Perfectly reasonable. Any halfway decent gentleman would’ve done the same thing had they seen Armitage Hux staring her down like a fruit ripe for the taking.

It had nothing to do with the fact that it was Rey he was undressing with his eyes. Nothing at all.

And so what if he’d ended up causing a scene? So what if he’d pushed Hux into a tray of deviled eggs, spilling them all down the front of her jaw-dropping dress? So what if he hadn’t been able to get the image of her walking down the grand staircase out of his head since the moment he’d laid eyes on her? Nobody needed to know what his true motives had been in the moment. All that mattered was that he’d saved her from the sleaze-bag that was Armitage Hux.

He wasn’t exactly expecting a _thank you._ Not from her anyway. But the slap to the face he could’ve done without.

So, rather than take out his frustration on the poor girl he’d brought along with him, he’d figured his pent up anger would be better utilized in the rueful underbelly of Coruscant. Which was why he was now crouched on the rooftop of a dilapidated brick apartment complex scanning the area for any signs of trouble.

Of course the one night he actually went looking for a good fight _would_ be the same night the wretched crime lords and gangs decided to take the night off. With a deep sigh of disappointment he moved to drop back down to the street, resigned to take his anger out on his undeserving punching bag.

That was when he heard the noise: The sneering laughter of a gang of men interspersed with the pitiful pleas of someone cornered with nowhere to run.

 _Finally_.

He identified their location quickly. About a block away, in a dimly lit alleyway. Perfect for dropping in quickly and quietly. He couldn’t have asked for better if he’d planned it himself.

Moving into the shadows with silent precision, he made his way across the roof of the building he was perched on, swooping down to a nearby firescape and readying himself for the leap.

That was when he saw it.

 _Her_.

“Hello boys.” She purred, coaxing the thugs attention away from their would-be victim. “You do know it’s only fun if the girl likes it rough too, right?”

He starred, equally as dumbstruck as the men whose heads had all turned on swivel the moment her low, seductive words broke through the silence. His eyes remained glued to the black, cat-like creature sauntering her way down the alley, hips swaying seductively as they circled around her.

“Well look at that _._ ” One of the men with a particularly ugly face and black stained teeth sneered. “I’d say it’s our lucky night fellas.”

He’d been watching this woman for months now. The Robin Hood wannabe who went only by the Scavenger, using her unique skill-set to defend the undercity’s most vulnerable while also robbing the rich blind. He’d seen her take out goons double their size and she’d escaped his grasp more times than he cared to admit. There was no doubt in his mind that she could handle them well enough on her own.

But he’d been waiting here for hours just to land a punch or two. There was no way he was going to let her have all the fun.

“Oh, somebody’s getting lucky tonight.” His raspy, modulated voice echoed down from the shadows above. “But it won’t be any of you.”

With a dramatic whoosh, he dropped down into the alleyway beside the Scavenger, smirking inside his mask as the thugs faces turned to stone.

Then, moving with practiced ease, his fist connected with the nearest chest plate, knocking the man into the brick wall with a grim crunch as the rest of the men rushed forward, kicking off the action.

“ _Ren_ .” The lithe, leather clad woman twisted elegantly beside him as her heeled boot made contact with a thug’s nose. “What are _you_ doing here?”

“Well you know,” He twisted his elbow, landing a blow just over her head. “I got bored of my normal territory. Thought I’d come check out yours.”

_CRACK_

“But if you’d prefer to handle these buffoons...”

_WHACK_

“....yourself…”

_POW_

“...I’m happy to sit back and watch.”

_SNAP_

The Scavenger let out a laugh as she spun around him.

“But you got all dressed up for me.”

A moment later she was airborne, leveling two more men with an elegant double-kick before landing with a smirk over her shoulder.

“It’d be such a shame if all that hard work went to waste.”

_Damn._

It was in moments like this that he was reminded why the mask had been a _very_ good idea.

His momentary brain lapse was short lived, as the men who remained conscious charged their way once more. They moved together easily, using one another’s bodies as leverage to land brutal blows and covering each other’s backs. It was the first time they’d actually fought together, but you wouldn’t know it watching them now. It was like a dance, perfectly choreographed and harmonious.

And, more than anything, it was _fun._

So fun, in fact, that he was disappointed when the fight ended moments later, the Scavenger dropping the last man with a swift kick to the groin.

She rushed over to the girl cowering in the corner without so much as a moment to catch her breath while he moved to hover over the man she’d left groaning in agony on his knees.

“Please.” the man begged, “I have a family…”

He gripped the man by his hair, pulling his face up so it was mere inches from his own masked visage.

“You should’ve thought about that before you tried to beat up an innocent girl.”

The man whimpered pathetically, and then he lifted him up and threw him against the nearest wall, watching the body collapse into a heap. He doubted any of them were actually dead. But that didn’t mean they were going to wake up anytime soon. That would have to be satisfying enough.  

“I’ve got to admit, Scavenger” He started, taking in the scene with a degree of admiration, “that was some impressive…”

He stopped cold when he turned to discover that he was alone in the dark alley, surrounded by limp bodies and the silence of a city at rest.

 _Great_.

He groaned, slouching back. Another missed opportunity to track down the Scavenger’s identity. Another night where she’d managed to slink away.

He didn’t know if he should be pissed off or turned on. At the moment, he was dealing with a strange mix of both.

Here he was, with unlimited resources at his disposal and technology that not even the government had access to yet, and still she managed to elude him. This street rat from the undercity. A nobody with nothing.

As he traipsed toward his motorcycle, hidden away in another alley a few blocks away, his mind ran over all that had transpired that night. The fight had been exactly what he needed, a perfect outlet for the frustrations of an evening gone awry. Yet he’d seemingly managed to run from one fierce woman to another, frustrated to no end by the both of them.

Sometimes he wondered if he was cursed. Despite his salacious reputation and the slew of woman who served as arm candy every time he had to step out in public, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been with a woman he was actually interested in. They were all a rouse; a cover story to keep the press appeased while he spent his nights off fighting the scum of the city.

It would’ve been nice to have something go his way tonight. But at the very least things had gone slightly better with the Scavenger than they had with his mother’s spit-fire of an adviser.

Besides, he’d find her eventually. He was sure of it. A woman like the Scavenger used the darkness as her cover. Little did she know...

He _was_ the darkness, and she couldn’t stay hidden forever.

_________________________________

It wasn’t even 8 am and already Rey was regretting her choice of footwear. Her calf muscles screamed at her under the strain of her classic black pumps, shifting her weight between legs as she waited for the elevator to deliver her to her destination.

She’d spent entirely too much time in stiletto heels the night prior, a fact that could hardly be considered worthwhile thanks to Ben Solo’s ridiculous show of testosterone-fueled indignation. They’d need to reevaluate their strategy during their evening debriefing now that her odds of gaining access to Hux’s fortress of a penthouse were shot to hell.

The plan had started off without a hitch. Kaydel had secured them all prime tables for the dinner portion of the evening and she and Poe were now making the rounds with the guests. Finn was making friendly with the bartender, all while maintaining a prime sight line over the whole room, and Rose was perched at her desk a few buildings over with eyes and ears on every person who came through the grand arching doors.

That just left Rey to make her entrance.

The dress she donned for the evening was nothing short of scandalous. If this hadn’t been a job for the Resistance she would’ve been appalled to step foot in front of her boss wearing anything of the sort. But alas, here she was, standing atop the grand staircase of the ballroom in a one shouldered silver cut out dress with a slit so high she had to recuse herself from undergarments, with seemingly every set of eyes in the room suddenly looking her way.

“ _Damn_ Peanut. You look _good_.”

“Really Stormtrooper” Kaydel chimed in. “What is the point of codenames if you’re not even going to use them?”

“Sorry.” Finn replied with a shrug, “Force of habit.”

“Yeah, well, try and break it.” Kaydel replied before crossing in front of Rey’s view on the floor below with a nod of acknowledgement. “Honestly though Scavenger, you knocked it out of the park tonight.”

Rey smiled as her friends bickered through her discreet earpiece, taking care not to trip over the train of her dress as she made her way down the stairs. “Thanks. You clean up pretty well yourselves.”

“Well you know.” She caught sight of Finn straightening his tie across the room, “I do what I can.”

“Focus people.” Rose shut them down with a huff, “Ginger is on the move.”

That he was. She’d spotted the evenings target the moment she’d entered the room, Poe having described his outfit in detail as she worked her way through security.

Armitage Hux was the only son of Brendol Hux, one of the foremost investors of the First Order crime syndicate. The senior Hux covered his tracks as a legitimate arms dealer, but he was fooling no one. Leia knew full well what he was doing as did anyone who cared enough to pay attention. The problem was that knowing mattered little with the whole of the city’s justice department deep in his pockets.

They needed more proof if there was any chance of cutting the First Order off from its primary source of income, and the junior Hux provided the easiest avenue inside.

A piece of work in his own right, Armitage was an arrogant sod with over-greased orange hair and a noise pointed perpetually upward. But, thankfully for them, he did have a weakness for hard-to-get women, and tonight it was Rey’s mission to exploit it.

“Alright Rey, all eyes are on you. Poe, go ahead with the greeting.”

“Aye aye Captain.”

Rey made a beeline for the bar, where Finn sat chatting up a pretty secretary she recognized from legal, until Poe swept in beside her, whistling as he gave her a once over.

“Now that can’t possibly be Rey Niima.”

Rey blushed despite herself. “Mr. Dameron.”

“Come now, Mr. Dameron is my father. You know better.”

She couldn’t help but smile at him, his charisma infectious. Poe gave her a wink as he turned back toward the group he was mingling with, gesturing for her to join them.

“John, Cynthia, Mercedes, this is Rey Niima. Leia’s right hand woman.” Poe went ahead with introductions as Rey smiled back pleasantly, shaking each of their hands firmly as they droned on with their underhanded compliments and false sentiments. She’d all but mastered the art of appearing enthralled by dull society conversation, using the opportunity to take a scan of the room.

“Is that _Bazine Netal_ with Solo tonight?”

Rey’s eyes jerked up at the question, catching sight of one Mr. Ben Solo, dressed to perfection in a sleek black tux, chatting up a few board members with supermodel Bazine Netal standing perfect and poised on his left arm.

“I mean, I knew he had questionable taste, but this might be a new low. Sure she’s attractive enough. But she has a brain the size of a…”

“Alright Kay.” Finn’s eye roll was practically audible. “We get it.”

“Sorry. It just truly boggles the mind.”

Kay, for her part, was right. Despite his flaws, which were numerous in Rey’s opinion, Ben Solo was not a stupid man. Their battles of wit were practically legendary around the office now. And while his arrogance was grating 99% of the time, she knew he genuinely valued intelligence, quick to both praise hard work and criticize anyone who tried to fake their way through. When it came to his personal life, however, it seemed Ben Solo was more invested in booty calls than brain cells.

There was absolutely no reason why this fact should bother her. She didn’t technically work for the man. In all honesty, she hardly knew him. He was nothing more than the prodigal son of her beloved boss. A thorn in her side and a constant menace. And yet, for some inexplicable and utterly unfathomable reason, it did.

“Alright Rey.” Rose cut in, rescuing her from the rabbit hole of her thoughts. “Ginger at your 7. Time to make a move.”

Placing a firm hand on Poe’s arm, Rey forced herself to smile. “Would you excuse me?”

Poe turned to look at her with a knowing nod. “Why of course. It was lovely to see you Rey.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek quickly, only to whisper conspiratorially in her ear. “Go get ‘em Tiger.”

She returned his conspiratorial eyebrow wag with a smirk of her own before turning away with a cordial wave and striding across the newly waxed floors.

“Alright gang.” She murmured, gracefully snatching a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. “How’re we looking?”

“Target is locked on and ready to blow.” Poe reported. “But I’ve got to say, he is certainly not the only one looking your way tonight.”

Rey rolled her eyes, waving and shaking hands with each person she recognized while deftly avoiding getting roped into a another shallow conversation. “I didn’t realize this mission was a speed dating exercise, Starpilot.”

“Well it wouldn’t kill you to get out every once in a while...”

“Poe!” Kaydel, Rose and Rey all scolded simultaneously.

“What? You know I kid.” From the corner of her eye she saw Finn shaking his head at the bar. “Still, we can use this to our advantage. Ginger does prefer his goods stolen after all.”

The clanging of China on glass drew all of their attention toward the stage at the rear of the venue, signaling that it was time to take their seats for dinner.

Rey made her way to the center of the room, taking her seat in Hux’s prime eye line. It had been a genius suggestion by Leia two night earlier, as she, Kaydel, and Rey poured over the evenings seat chart.

_“...and Rey is here, next to Hux…”_

_“No, no. Rey should go here, across the room. We want him to look, but not touch.”_

_“Genius!” Kaydel exclaimed. “Plus, this way, there will be no suspicions that Rey was planted. It’ll be all on him.”_

_“Exactly.” Leia smiled conspiratorially as she topped off all their glasses. “That’s my girl.”_

Rey spent the better part of the next evening studying up on every person at her table, ready with questions sure to spark enough light conversation to fill the awkward amount of time between the clinking of glasses and Leia’s final speech. In doing so, she’d all but memorized the seating chart.

Which was why she found herself stunned to see Ben Solo and Bazine Netal walking her way.

“Niima.” Ben nodded politely, ignoring what she knew to be a look of astonishment she was temporarily incapable of reigning in.

“Mr. Solo.”

Ben quirked an eyebrow at her. “And here I thought we were past the formalities.”

Rey ignored him, reaching a hand to the woman standing at his side. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m Rey Niima. ”

“Bazine Netal.” The woman answered, not so subtly running her gaze down Rey’s body as she lightly returned the handshake.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Miss Netal.”

The woman finished her hateful once over and met Rey’s plastered on smile with a curt sneer. “Quite.”

Ben cleared his throat, reaching for the champagne flute and downing it in one go before pulling out the chair for his date. Rey just stood there gapping.

“Scavenger.” Finn’s voice crackled through her earpiece, reminding her not to snap at the incredibly rude woman she now had to endure for the course of the meal. “What is Solo doing at your table?”

Rey huffed indignantly, turning her head away as she sat down and whipped the napkin to her lap. “I was just wondering the same thing. _Controller_?”

“Sorry!” Kaydel squeaked apologetically, “It was a last minute change. Leia insisted.”

Rey fought back the eyeroll. Of course Leia had meddled in this. From nearly the moment Ben Solo had stepped back into her life, his mother seemed hell-bent on the idea that he and Rey needed to spend as much time together as either of them would physically allow, futilely hoping they might someday be something slightly resembling friends.

Sure, he was the walking embodiment of tall, dark and handsome, with the hair of a God and limbs that seemed to go on for days. And perhaps they did share similar beliefs on justice and politics and the direction the company should take. And yeah maybe they both liked their coffee black and their books worn and written in and they both had the unsettling tendency to finish each other’s thoughts without even realizing it. But that in no way meant they should be friends. And even if, at some point over the last 18 months, Rey had wondered if they might have accidentally begun encroaching on “friend” territory, she was quite certain the whole thing was just a disaster waiting to happen.

“I’m surprised you’re not sitting at my mother’s table, _Miss_ Niima.”

Rey turned to Ben with a scowl. “I could say the same for you. Although I would suspect that the intention was the same.” She turned to the rest of the table to deftly engage their fellow guests in the conversation, “Afterall, what would be the purpose of such an event if not to enjoy the company of those we do not have the _pleasure_ of speaking to every day.”

The words rolled off her tongue with splenda-like sweetness, and she knew from the quirk of Ben’s brow that he did not buy her sudden friendliness for one second. Thankfully he went along with it anyway, as their tablemates quickly began battering him with questions on everything from his most recent trips abroad to his instincts on the stock market. Rey chimed in where necessary, ignoring the spiteful side-eye glances she received from Bazine every time Ben looked to her for an answer, and found herself grateful when the food finally began to arrive.

She’d been making sure to glance coyly at Hux from across the room just often enough to ensure he knew she’d noticed his staring. Quite frankly, the way he was eyeing her was disgusting, but she had a job to do, so she played along, turning to laugh at whatever was said at the table the moment after their eyes met, ensuring that his jealousy was peaked.

“Is it just me” Rose commented mid-way through the main course, “or is Solo being abnormally nice to you tonight Rey?”

“I’ll say.” Finn commented, “He can’t seem to take his eyes off of you.”

Rey nearly choked on her champagne.

Ben turned to her with worried eyes as she coughed the bubbly liquid down the wrong pipe and grabbed for her chest. “Are you alright?”

She nodded, wide-eyed and still coughing before swatting her hand in a gesture to signify it was no big deal. “Yes.” * _cough*_ “Fine.” _*cough*_ “So sorry.”

Poe snickered into her earpiece as Rey leveled a death glare at her friend from across the room, where she could see him smoothly blending his sly smile into whatever conversation was taking place at his table.

Ben was still staring at her face with a look of concern when Leia stepped up onto the stage, her presence drawing the applause of the guests as they all turned toward her.

Having written half the speech and edited the rest, Rey hardly listened as Leia Organa brought the room to their feet with her rousing call for action against the gang violence running rampant in the city. Instead, she recovered herself and honed in on those in the room whose enthusiasm was either lacking or overdone. Both camps were cause for suspicion, and there were a regrettably large number to flag down.

“Are you seeing this?” Rey murmured as she took in the scene.

“What a bunch of lying, conniving hypocrites” Kaydel spit venomously.

“At least we are getting what we need.” Rose replied calmly as her fingers hammered away at her keyboard.

They were still on their feet when Ben leaned down behind her, his smooth voice vibrating against her ear, sending shivers down her spine. “Rey, are you sure you’re alright?”

“Yes, I’m...” She turned to find herself staring at his lips, which were simultaneously far too close and not close enough. “Fine. I-I’m fine. If you’ll excuse me.”

She managed to slip away in the crowd, her heart beating erratically in her chest as she crossed the room, distracted and confused. He smelled divine. Like amber musk and pure pheromones. And then there were those lips of his, and the way her name fell off of them like they were designed for it...

“Earth to Rey.” Rose’s voice echoed. “You alright in there?”

“Yes. Sorry. I’m here.”

“Good. Because it’s go time.”

With Leia’s speech behind them, the tease was over, and phase two of the plan kicked into full swing. Rey pulled herself back into focus and weaved her way through the tables, as the familiar tune of Dean Martin’s   _Ain’t That A Kick to the Head_  beckoned the guests to the dance floor. Hux stayed put, his steely blue eyes on her, unashamed and predatorial. It made her skin crawl, but she did not show it, keeping her chin high as she swayed past him, placing extra emphasis on the swing of her hips. She made no eye contact, choosing instead to leave only a light brush of her fingertips along his shoulder blade, enticing him to follow.

“Oh you _minx_.” Poe chided, leaning against one of the marble pillars nearby. She smirked to herself, keeping her eyes ahead, toward the bar where Finn had returned to his post.

“Ginger took the bread.” Finn murmured against the edge of his glass. “Hook, line and sinker.”

Rey approached the bar a few seats down from Finn, far enough to give off the impression that they did not know each other, but close enough that he could hear every word.

The bartender approached her immediately, winking in acknowledgement of the agreement Finn must’ve successfully brokered earlier in the evening. “Good evening Miss. What can I get for you?”

“Martini, dirty please.”

“Make that two.”

Rey looked to her right to find Armitage Hux standing over her, already encroaching upon her personal space.

“Hello. I…”

“The name is Armitage Hux.” He cut her off, pulling out a distinctive black credit card and handing it lazily to the bartender. “And you, dollface, look positively delectable in that dress. I look forward to taking it off of you.”

This time it was Finn who choked on his drink.

She shot Finn a warning glare, before catching Hux by the arm and forcing him to keep his attention on her. “What makes you think you’ll get the chance?”

He looked her up and down again, lingering far too long on her chest, before licking his lips and pushing himself closer. “Let’s just say that I have a habit of getting what I want.”

“Is that so?” She leaned back, putting what space she could between them without toppling backwards off the stool.

“ _Oh yes_.” He purred, daring to run his hand along the exposed skin of her thigh.

She forced herself not to look down at her leg as he inched along, drawing precariously closer. Sure, the goal was the get back to his place _eventually_ , but that was supposed to after he was inebriated enough that he wouldn’t know his hand from his foot. They’d all been banking on a degree of civility until then, especially in a crowd such as this. Instead he was moving on her as if he meant to take her then and there, with the whole room as an audience.

Rey forced herself to laugh, gently pushing his wandering hand away. “You’re quite confident aren’t you? I typically expect dinner before I -“

“Ever heard of personal space?”

Rey spun at the sound of his familiar voice, turning to find an irate Ben Solo standing mere feet away.

Hux sneered, tightening his grip on her leg. “Well well well. Look what the cat dragged in. How long has it been Solo? Since we were children?”

“Still not long enough.” Ben bit out.

“If I recall, you were always terrible at minding your own business. I see all your time away did little to change that.” Hux turned back to look at her, a glimmer in his eyes. “Why don’t you run back to your little whore, and let me take care of this one. Hmmm?”

Ben’s face went cold, his hands clenching into tight fists at his side. She’d seen him angry before, or at least she thought she had. But never like this. He looked like a bomb on the final seconds of its countdown, waiting to go off in an instant.

“Solo…”

Hux looked between them and laughed. “What? You want this one too? My my Solo. How selfish you are.” he turned to Rey, running a finger under her chin. “Don’t worry, you can have her after I’m done with her.”

Finn jumped from his seat just in time, catching Ben by the chest as he lunged forward.

“ _You slimy little weasel_.”

“I’m sorry,” Hux smiled, placing his hand even higher up Rey’s thigh, “What was that? I couldn’t hear you…”

Rey pushed him away the moment his skin touched hers, but evidently it wasn’t soon enough for Ben. In an impressive show of strength, he pushed Finn to the side and leveled a swift, brutal punch directly to Hux’s jaw.

“Solo! No, stop!” She cried, leaping between them, but it was too late. By the time she’d pulled him back, Hux had recovered, lunging after his attacker with a fury.

In the end, he was no match for Ben, who left him laying on the ground with a black eye and a broken nose. Leia had rushed over to pull them both out of the room before returning to clean up the PR mess inside, leaving Rey, flustered and drenched in food, standing in the hallway with a disheveled Ben Solo, who somehow managed to make post-fight disaster into a look worth replicating.

“Rey… I’m sor-”

_SLAP_

“I _don’t_ want to hear it, Solo.”

And that was how she’d found herself prowling the streets of the undercity, looking for a few nasty buggers to take her frustration out on following the disastrous end of the mission. Kylo Ren’s intrusion made it all go by a little too quickly for her taste, but still, she’d woken up this morning determined to put the whole ordeal behind her.

Of course, that was before she saw the headlines. Her thumb was barely one swipe through her news app when the words she was staring at finally registered. There, on the front page of the Coruscant Chronicle in bold, black print, accompanied by a slew of less than flattering pictures of her, red faced and furious, dripping in mayonnaise and dijon mustard while shouting passionately at her boss’s idiot son, were the words:

**Solo Soiree Goes South**

_Well if that wasn’t the understatement of the century._

She let out a groan, her head fall back with a thud against the elevator wall. Only then did she notice that the elevator had come to a stop, the doors sliding open to reveal the very man behind the disastrous events of the previous night, clad in a black pinstripe suit so well tailored she wanted to cry.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“Good morning to you too.” Ben Solo tried to hide the infuriating smirk that pulled across his face, but she caught it nonetheless, which served only to irk her further.

He leaned across her to press the button to the top floor, brushing just close enough for her to breathe in his distinct, earthy scent, the very same one that inadvertently shot her spine straight and her senses on high-alert every time her nose caught a whiff.

He stepped away to the other side of the elevator without another word, letting her stew in silent fury while she pondered if it was possible to kill someone through sheer force of will.

After a few moments of tense silence, he finally opened his mouth, letting his plump, succulent lips give way to his infuriatingly smooth voice.

“I want to apologize for last night.”

 _Ha._ She scoffed. _Apology_ not _accepted._

“I can pay for the dress, if you’ll allow me to. And I...”

The look she shot his way shut him right up, but that did stop her from noting the way his chocolate brown eyes seemed surprisingly soft and sincere.

God he was infuriating. She wanted so badly to hate him. Too bad her body insisted on having other plans.

She hated the way her stomach twisted involuntarily whenever he spoke. She hated the way her heart beat faster in her chest whenever he was around. She hated the way her eyes automatically found their way to his delicious lips, or his strong, toned body, scanning over him like a tree she so desperately wanted to climb.

But perhaps most of all, she hated that with one glance from those stupid, beautiful eyes, she was already ready to forgive him.

 _Christ Rey, you’re pathetic_.

“Oh please. You don’t just get to buy your way out of everything Solo. I’m not one of those gold diggers you parade around. I can pay for my own dress.”

Okay so that was not entirely true. She’d rented the designer gown online, and now she’d have to fork over the full retail value of the dress rather than just the fractional price she’d paid to wear it temporarily.

Still. It was a matter of principle.

“Of course you can. I wasn’t...”

He was cut off as a few more people entered the elevator, gabbing away obliviously. She was grateful for the reprieve from him and his chiseled chest, which was peeking out unfairly from the dress shirt he hadn’t bothered to button up all the way.

No. She was not about to get distracted by something as futile as nice pecs. She was the Scavenger for christ sake, capable of leveling men twice her size with relative ease. She’d worked her way from the slums of Jakku to the upper echelons of Coruscant’s elite facing down far worse than a spoiled playboy. He was a piece of cake compared to them. A piece of cake she wouldn’t mind devouring, yes, but still… cake. Just cake.

The white collar cronies naturally exited the elevator before either of them did, leaving her alone with only the gentle hum of elevator jazz music as a buffer.  

“Look, Rey…”

“No, you look _Ben._ ” She turned to him in a huff, using his name as a weapon. “I can take care of myself. I always have, and I always will. I never asked for you to look out for me, and I don’t want you to.”

He looked down from her face, seeming to note the closing distance between them as she stalked toward him, finger raised threateningly.

“I never said you couldn’t take care of yourself. I was just trying to…”

“I don’t care what you’re trying to do. I don’t care if you thought you were being noble or honorable or whatever else you tell yourself so you can sleep at night. You don’t get to act all high and mighty when you’ve got a new piece of ass on your arm every other night. You’re no better than Hux. So cut the crap.”

In the eighteen months she’d known this man, he’d always been an almost perfect picture of arrogant nonchalance. But right now, for the perhaps the very first time, he actually looked well and truly stunned.

It was by the grace of whatever gods existed that the elevator door opened then and Poe Dameron’s voice sliced breezily through the tension.

“Oh hey Rey. Ben.” He smirked as he held the door for her. “Getting off here?”

“Yes, thank you.” She stormed off the elevator without a second glance at the infuriating man inside it, brushing past Poe as quickly as she could. But still she wasn’t quick enough to miss Poe’s chuckle echoing out of the elevator as the doors closed between them.

“Jeez, Solo. You really got her panties in a bundle this time, didn’t you?”

She shot stiff as the eyes of every person on the floor landed squarely on her, having all heard Poe’s jab clear as day.

Red faced and flustered, Rey all the but ran into the conference room, murderous and seething. She pitied the next man that so much as looked her way.

Laying low would have to wait. She needed to punch something. Or, better yet, _someone_.


	2. Coming Back

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Coming Back - Dean Ray  
> Estranged - The Ting Tings

_18 months earlier…_

 

Ben held his breath as his taxi skirted out of the airport arrivals lane and sped toward the ever growing skyline on the horizon.

It had been almost six years since he’d last stepped foot in this city.

Six years since he’d watched in horror as his father lay dying in his arms.

Six years since he’d run, like a coward, too afraid to face his mother, or the broken boy that looked back at him in the mirror every morning….

He knew better than to expect that his homecoming would be a happy one. While the man returning today had nothing in common with the boy that ran away all those years ago, save for his name and oversized ears, that boy had left too much pain in his wake.

They say time heals all wounds.

Today he was going to find out if that was true.

The gleaming skyscrapers that towered above the downtown streets appeared to be much the same as they’d been when last he’d seen them, with their glass facades glimmering in the summer sun. Many of the familiar storefronts and restaurants his taxi passed by looked worse for the wear, others had been replaced with fast food restaurants, seedy bars, or fast cash lenders. The closer they came to his destination, the cleaner the streets appeared, but it was clear the years had not been kind.

Once upon a time, this would’ve been the part of town where people would have brought their children, confident that they’d all make it home for dinner. But where poverty and gang violence had once been relegated to the streets of the undercity, it was now on full display everywhere you looked.

“Aight man.” The cab driver mulled as he pulled to the curb near Skywalker Square. “Here you are.”

Pulling out an old wallet, Ben handed the man a hundred dollar bill. “Keep the change.”

“Uh…” The cab driver stuttered, looking up at him as he exited the car. “You sure man? Don’t get me wrong, I… Wait a minute… Aren’t you - ”

He slammed the door before the cabbie could finish and stood, staring up at the building before him. The massive Art Deco structure stood as the centerpiece of the Coruscant skyline, a behemoth in a city filled with them. Considered ostentatious by some, a national treasure by others, Skywalker Tower represented many things to many people, but for him the conflagration of confusing emotions that rose up within him at the sight meant only one thing:

 _Home_.

He was dressed casually by downtown standards, foregoing the suits and stilettos of the businessmen and women that were making their way into the various office buildings that made up Coruscant’s business district. Evidently this contrast did him few favors by way of avoiding notice. His feet carried him to the entrance of his family’s metaphorical castle as numerous passerby’s heads spun to make sure their eyes weren't deceiving them.

The lobby was as grand as he remembered, with pearl colored marble flooring sitting pleasantly beneath numerous modern seating arrangements and a surprisingly large assortment of plants. All this sat to either side of the walkway leading toward the twelve elevators that lay just beyond the security gates, all lit up by the morning sunlight shining in through the glass walls.

He made a beeline for the security stand, ignoring the heads that continued to turn his way, and, in a stroke of luck, he recognized the stocky little man that sat monitoring the sliding glass panel.

Nien Nunb had sat guard of Skywalker Tower since before Ben was born, sneaking him candy whenever he came to visit his father and uncle at work. When last Ben had been here, there had been no technological mechanism blocking the way, only the dedicated guards who remained surprisingly loyal over the years. It appeared that the change had not been welcome, if the slumped look of irritation on Nien’s face was any indication.

“Good morning.” He said, approaching the security stand. “I’d like to go upstairs.”

Nien didn’t bother to look up from his newspaper. “Guest pass?”

“Uh...” Ben ran his hand through his hair, “I don’t have one.”

“Hmph. Well, whoever you’re here to see better have left you one with the ladies over there.” Nien pointed lazily in the direction of the offending greeters, flipping to read the bottom half of the paper.

Ben looked toward the desk, and then back down at Nien. “They didn’t.”

Nien rolled his eyes, putting the down the newspaper with an irritated thud. “Look sir, I don’t know who you think you are, but you can’t just waltz in here and expect me to let you -”

The minute Nien finally looked up his mouth fell slack.

Noting the growing grumbles coming from those in line behind him, Ben leaned forward. “I think it’s safe to say that no one is expecting me.”

Nien continued to gape at him, spurred back to reality only when the woman behind Ben cleared her throat loudly, stirring Nein from his trance.

“I… W-wow. Yes. Of course. Go on through, Mr. Solo. Go right through.”

Ben smiled slightly as he stepped through the sliding glass doors to join the waiting horde. The low ding that signaled an approaching elevator rang just before the doors of the nearest lift slid open and the mass of people pushed to fill in the space.

“Wait!” Every head turned back in the direction of the security stand, where Nien Nunb now stood, a smile growing slowly across his face. “Welcome home Mr. Solo. It’s good to see you.”

Ben nodded, before turning to enter the elevator before him, the eyes of every person in the lobby now on him.

“Where to?” A slim man asked as he entered a nearly full lift.

“103.”

The man did a double take, but obliged as Ben turned away from the gawking of those sharing the small space.

_“Is that who I think it is?”_

_“It can’t be. He’s dead.”_

_“Yeah, but… tell me that doesn’t look exactly like him.”_

_“They never found a body did they?”_

_“You know, I think you’re right…”_

Ben cleared his throat, quieting the whispers to leave the whole of the elevator in silent tension. He slowly slipped toward the back as people left at each floor, doing his best to ignore the awestruck glances being shot his way, until he was finally on the elevator alone.

The 103rd floor of Skywalker tower was not the top floor of the skyscraper, but it was the final floor that could be reached by elevator. Those wishing to see the view from the spire that spiraled upward toward the great beyond had to go the rest of the way by staircase. As a young child, Ben made a habit of sneaking up there to look out over the city skyline, feeling at once immensely powerful and impossibly small.

When the elevator door opened, his feet carried him through the large doors that led to the executive suite, ignoring the questions and protests of the little blonde secretary posted up at the reception desk. They carried him down the long hallway he’d raced up and down as a child, suddenly feeling far shorter and more suffocating than it ever had then. The closer he came to the office at the very end, the more tempted he was to make a run for those stairs; to turn back into that little boy who dreamt of leaping from that roof and flying toward the heavens, guided by the glowing lights of a city firing to life amidst the simmer of a western setting sun.

But there was no great escape from the top of Skywalker Tower. There was no Han Solo to come find him looking over the edge, scaring him with his gruff voice and knowing smirk, staying with him as he worked through the thousands of impossibly large questions that only a child would bother ponder when presented with the existential beauty of it all.

That boy was gone, and the sentimentality of those memories along with him.

There was only the truth. Whatever piece of it he could offer the woman sitting on the other side of the half open door he stared at now, the crisp black name plate screaming at him as if it was a bright neon sign.  

**_Leia Organa-Solo_ **

It read.

**_President and Chairman_ **

When he’d left his mother had been a Senator and his uncle had occupied the seat she sat in now. It was a seat she never wanted, or so she claimed whenever she fought with his father over the direction he and Luke were taking the business.  But as he peeked in at her now, glasses sitting low on her nose as she read over some report, her graying hair pulled back in an elegant bun and her lips pursed around the pen she was tapping absently against them, he couldn’t help but think she looked born for it.

He jumped when her phone rang, heart beating out of his chest as she reached for the phone without looking away from the paperwork.

“What is it?”

It had been six years since he’d last heard his mother’s voice, but it wasn’t until that exact moment that he realized just how much he’d missed it. The familiar raspy quality that made her sound like a chain smoker, despite never engaging in the habit, was even stronger now, as was the soothing balm that spread over him at the sound.

“That’s fine. Thank you Kaydel.” Leia set the phone back down and returned to her paperwork, crossing something off and writing some note over top.

He could’ve watched her for hours. He would’ve preferred it truthfully. It would've been easier than facing her now, his heart lodged firmly in his throat, the desire to vomit threatening to overtake him. But if he waited any longer then he would run again, just like the boy he’d left behind.

He wasn’t that boy anymore. But he was still her son.

It was now or never.

With a deep breath and a shaking hand, he knocked lightly on the door.

“Yes?” Leia answered, circling something on her paper.

He hesitated, waiting until she looked up, watching her eyes roam from his feet to his face, blowing wide as her face morphed from confusion to shock to disbelief in a matter of moments. She lowered her glasses off her face and stood slowly, never looking away from his face as her mouth dropped open.

“B-ben?”

Swallowing back the tears threatening at the corner of his eyes, he forced his lips to form what he could only hope was a smile.

“Hi Mom.”

_____________________________

Rey Niima woke up at exactly 6:25 am every morning of every day,  as she had since before she could remember. It did not matter if she spent the night schmoozing at a fundraiser, thwarting pickpockets in the undercity, or running missions for the Resistance late into the night.

The alarm clock went off no matter what time she’d fallen into bed. And, like clockwork, she would rise approximately 32 seconds later to make her way down the hall to the shower, wiping away all evidence of the night’s activities.

But on this morning the fates decided that Rey Niima’s alarm _would not_ go off at 6:25 am. Rey Niima would not stir 32 seconds later and make her way to the shower, where she would not soak under the hot water for approximately 5 and a half minutes before drying herself off. Rey Niima would not throw her damp hair into a tight towel turban, or mosey her way to the kitchen, where she would normally prepare herself a piping hot cup of tea - Earl Grey with cream, no sugar - and a bowl of old-fashioned stove top oatmeal.

On this morning, Rey Niima would not wake up until well after 7:30 am, a fact that was barely registered behind a swollen right eye.

Rolling over with a groan, her bruised rib cage screaming at her not to move another inch, Rey nearly screamed at the sight of the three digits blinking uselessly on her alarm clock.  

 _Shit_.

Rey threw herself out of bed, only to topple over as her legs twisted in the tangled mess of sheets.

_God damn it._

Crawling over to her dresser, Rey yanked open her drawer of undergarments, plucked out the first thing her hand touched that felt like a bra, and threw it on over head as she scooped the nearest business appropriate outfit she spotted off the floor and stumbled into her small on-suite bathroom.

She didn’t have time for a shower, but hell if she didn’t need one. Her hair was a tangled knot on the side of her head, and her throbbing right eye was easily explained by the stunning purple bruise forming beneath it. Forcing a brush through her hair as quickly as possible, she threw the sweat coated strands into a messy bun before caking her eye in concealer. Glasses would be a must today. Anything to keep her co-workers from noticing the grotesque black eye. There would be no easy way to explain that one.

_Yes, well, you see, I got in a bit of a spat with a few oversize drug peddlers last night, and may or may not have met the wrong end of a baseball bat. But don’t worry! They got what was coming to them! Also, don’t go investigating the bottom of the river anywhere near 6th avenue if you want to be able to feel your face tomorrow morning. Thank you._

Yeah, that would go over well with finance team.

“Rey?” Rose’s voice echoed from the kitchen as Rey tugged the first pair of shoes she came across. “What are you still doing here?”

“Overslept!” She ground out, hopping one-footed down the hall. “Leaving now.”

Rose did a double take as Rey rounded the corner. “Yeah, uh, Rey, breathe for a minute. I can see your bra through your dress.”

She looked down to find her bright turquoise bra screaming from beneath the cream shift she’d tossed over her head.

“Of course you can.” She groaned, turning on her heels to find something appropriate to wear.

Rose, bless her heart, stood ready with a to-go mug of tea and a coat in hand as Rey fumbled her way toward the door of their apartment 3 minutes later.

“Love you, Peanut.” She called as Rey all but ran toward the elevator. “Have a great day!”

On a normal morning - you know, the kind when she woke up on time - she beat the rush hour hordes to the subway station. Not today though. Today she was squeezed between a very large man in an unflattering brown suit and an old woman muttering to herself in a language Rey didn’t recognize. Neither smelled particularly pleasant, although in fairness neither did she. Wrapping herself around the nearest pole, Rey tried to hold her breath as best she could as she read through the 24 unread emails that had entered her inbox in the last hour.

There were investors portfolios to sort through, petty inter-office politics to deal with, and interview requests from various magazines and newspapers related to Leia Organa’s new initiatives. After firing off a rather scathing reply to the former Director of IT’s nasty diatribe regarding his removal for sexual harassment, Rey tried to turn her attention to the latest edits to the budget report, the very same one she was supposed to be discussing with Leia in approximately… _Crap_!

Her heart nearly stopped as she read the time on her phone. 8:17am. At this rate, there was no way she’d make her 8:30 on time.

“Now approaching Skywalker Square.” The pleasant female train voice finally called out after what felt like years of Rey’s life. “Doors opening to your right. Please mind the gap.”

Rey pushed through the mass of suit clad businessmen and woman making their way to the downtown skyscrapers, slipping through the throngs of people as she finally allowed herself to breathe in the relatively fresh air again, the rising sunlight appearing from atop the escalator.

There were too many people here at this hour, once again affirming why she woke up as early as she did. Her impatience was only made worse when she ran into the Skywalker Tower Lobby to find the security line at least ten people deep.

She checked her watch, tapping her feet impatiently as Nien Nunb opened the doors one by one.

8:35.

Already five minutes late.

And it appeared that everyone around her was too busy gossiping to bother to move at an appropriate pace.

_“I thought he was dead.”_

_“We all thought he was dead.”_

_“Did you see him?”_

_“No, but Sally was in the elevator with him this morning. She says he really grew into those ears…”_

Rey scoffed, pushing past the line as quickly as she could. “Excuse me. Late for a meeting. Pardon me. Sorry.”

“Good morning Miss Niima.” Nien Nunb smiled at her, looking far more cheerful than she’d ever seen the man previously. “You’re in late today.”

Rey yanked her name badge out of her bag clumsily. “Thanks for the reminder Nien.”

Nien smiled at her kindly as the doors slid open. “Should be quite the day. Best of luck Miss Niima.”

Rey did a double take, looking back to find the man smiling cheerfully at his phone below the security bench. How odd. Nien Nunb rarely smiled, especially at this hour. And also, what kind of ominous comment was that?

She had no idea what everyone was on about, but whatever it was continued as she finally jumped onto an elevator.

_“I’ll tell you what, if it’s true, Skywalker stock is about to skyrocket. It’s exactly the boost we need. I went and threw down a near fortune on it this morning.”_

_“Yeah well, I’ll believe it when I see it.”_

She pressed the button for the 103rd floor and maneuvered herself to the back of the elevator, drowning out the hushed whispers of those around her in favor of breathing exercises.

It was going to be fine. She was never late. Leia would forgive her. She knew the budget report back and front. There was nothing to worry about.

The buzzing energy of the people around her made it near impossible to convince herself that any of that was actually true, and the moment the elevator blinked with the numbers 103 she all but threw herself off the lift, speeding toward her boss’s office in a huff.

“I’m so sorry Leia!” She cried out, entering through the open office door. “I don’t know what happened this morning, but I promise it’ll never happen - ”

Rey stopped dead, stunned to find her boss standing in the center of her office clutching the body of an extremely tall man.

At the sound of her voice, the two broke from their embrace and Rey was greeted with a face so recognizable she couldn’t help but gasp.

The long dark hair and distinct aquiline nose staring at her now had been plastered on the front page of every newspaper six years prior; the headlines all claiming him dead.

But the man in front of her was very much not dead. Not even a little bit.

And suddenly all the distracted murmuring made sense.

“That’s alright Rey” Leia looked between her and the man, gesturing toward him as she cleared her throat. “I’d actually like to introduce you to my son. Ben, this is Rey Niima.”

The man stepped toward her, clearing his throat as he offered up a hand to shake. “It’s, uh, nice to meet you Miss Niima.”

Rey continued to gape at him, looking between his face and his hand before finally pulling herself together enough to accept the handshake.

“I… Y-you too. Mister Solo… Sir.”

Leia chuckled from behind them, drawing Rey from her shocked daze.

As if her morning hadn’t been strange enough, now she stood here practically staring at a ghost, one whose return had implications both far reaching and unknown, watching Leia Organa try to hold back tears through placated humor.

“Rey, if you don’t mind, I’d actually like to reschedule our meeting. Ben and I have some… well, some catching up to do.”

“Y-Yeah” Rey stuttered, nodding her head furiously. “Yes. Yup. Absolutely. I’ll have Kaydel clear your morning.”

“Thank you, dear. I appreciate it.”

Rey spun on the spot, her feet carrying her out of the office despite the fact that her brain had officially detached itself from the rest of her body.

Ben Solo, the heir to Skywalker Industries and Leia Organa and Han Solo’s only child, was back from the dead. The newspapers would have a field day. The markets would go berserk. The whole of her boss’s, and therefore her, world was just flipped on its head.

Her mind spun in an endless whirl as she made her way into her office, robotically telling Kaydel Connix to wipe Leia’s schedule clear before closing her door behind her slowly.

There was no telling what Ben Solo’s return would mean.

All Rey was sure of, with a certainty as profound as her own eventually death, was that her life was _never_ going to be the same again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm hoping to stick with a weekly posting schedule for this little story (aiming for Sunday releases), but I'll be on vacation for the next two weekends, so we may slow down for a week of two. I'll do my best to get chapter three out before I head across the pond, and your encouragement and feedback always stands to keep me motivated to write! 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed the second installment. Next week we head back to the present, and confront some well buried truths along the way...


	3. I Feel Like I'm Drowning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Make It Up As I Go - Mike Shinoda, K. Flay  
> I Feel Like I'm Drowning - Two Feet  
> Apologize - grandson

Leia was pacing, which was all the evidence Ben needed to know that his day was about to go from bad to worse.

His mother didn’t pace. Not when his father came home in the middle of the night. Not Ben went missing around the office. Not even when Luke took half of her inheritance and invested it in blue milk farms. But here she was, storming her way between the large bookshelf that lined the back of her office and the wall of windows that looked out over the skyline, clearly torn between which method of punishment she’d be inflicting upon the man-child she’d birthed.

“I honestly don’t even know where to begin.”

Ben hung his head. No matter what his motivations were, his mother had a fair point. In his burgeoning attempts to learn more about the very people he sought to destroy, he’d inadvertently made a target out of himself. Not the best execution of what should’ve been a simple plan.

But watching Hux run his greasy hands all over her… it drove him to the edge.

“Is it really too much to ask that my only son come to an event and not make a scene? It was one thing when you were a child. But _this…_ What even is this?”

She threw the newspaper down on the desk in front of him, making it impossible to ignore his own bloodied face staring back at him disgracefully.

“As if the PR nightmare wasn’t disastrous enough, now Brendol is threatening to sue. And for what, Ben? Some old childhood grudge?”

Ben scoffed. “Of course not.”

“What then?” Leia demanded.

Ben’s fists clenched tightly as he bit out the words. “He was groping her.”

Leia’s eyebrow shot up. “He was groping who?”

Ben scowled, turning away from her.

“Ah.” She hummed knowingly. “I see.”

There it was. He heard it in her voice. He could feel it in the shifting tension in the room. Years of training in the shadows, hiding himself within the walls he built to protect himself and his mother could still read him like a book.

“Ben,” Leia approached him cautiously, the anger in her voice replaced by calm determination. “Rey is a very capable, very attractive young woman…

Ben groaned, dropping his head back dramatically “Not this again.”

“Yes _this_ again! You shoot me down every single time I bring it up! So rather than beating around the bush, I’m just going to say it: If it bothers you so much to see other men pay attention to her, then God dammit son, go do something about it.”

Han Solo had been dead for nearly seven years, but damn if Ben wasn't sure his father had just possessed his wife from beyond the grave and spoken the words directly through her.

“What, did dad tell you to save that one? You sound just like him.” He snarked. “And I did do something about it last night didn’t I? Look how well that worked out.”

"What you did last night was childish.” His mother scolded. “And I’m quite sure your father would agree with me there. You’re better than that.”

Ben scoffed. “Am I?”

“Yes.” Leia replied firmly. “And I know you’re more than capable of wooing a woman. You manage to find a new one to bring along to every event…”

“What I do in my personal life is none of your business.” Ben grumbled under his breath, refusing to meet her eyes as she placed a hand on his arm.

“You’re right. It’s not my business. But someday I might like grandchildren, you know.”

Ben pinched the bridge of his nose, huffing out another groan. “Please don’t…”

“And it’s not unreasonable for a mother to want her son to be happy.”

When he looked back down at her, she was smirking at him, but the words were soaked with a heavy sadness.

He said nothing in response, turning instead to look out her office window. He hadn’t come back here to be happy. That was never the goal. And it couldn’t be, not for someone like him. There was no room in his life for real relationships. The few he maintained now were already risky enough.

After a moment of weighted silence, Leia sighed. “Has it occurred to you that perhaps Rey didn’t mind the attention?”

Ben spun back, balking. “You _cannot_ be serious.”

“Don’t look at me like that.” She replied sternly, cutting off his impending tirade. “Rey is a grown woman. She can make her own decisions. And she is quite capable of handling herself.”

“Yes I know that.” Ben growled. “Why does everyone feel the need to remind me?”

“Because it _appears_ that you forgot. And at great cost, I might add.”

Ben scoffed, coiling his fists tightly at his side. “Look, I know I was out of line. I apologize for that. And I apologize for distracting from the cause last night. But I _will not_ apologize for stepping in when that slimy little predator -“

“Leia?” Kaydel Connix’s blonde bun poked its way through the cracked open door hesitantly, stopping Ben mid-sentence “I’m sorry to interrupt, but Gial Ackbar is here to see you.”

Leia nodded firmly before turning back to Ben with a heavy sigh. “We can discuss this another time. For now, try to keep a low profile, will you? The last thing we need is to have this blow up any further.”

Ben nodded stiffly, crossing the room to make his exit. “Yeah, sure, whatever.”

Leia caught his arm as he passed her by, forcing him to look down into her soft chocolate eyes. “Thank you Ben.”

She said it with such earnest, as if the words held far more meaning than it would’ve appeared to anyone listening in. He swallowed down the lump rising in his throat as the guilt boiled up within him. Her eyes held him there for another moment, and then she squeezed arm, letting him go as she turned back toward her desk. “Send Gial in for me, will you?”

He did as she asked, nodding as he passed by the old man who stood waiting by Kaydel’s desk. Then he turned, heading directly for the unassuming staircase that led up to the top of the building spire. He needed some fresh air, and if he was being entirely honest, probably something a little stronger.

The wind whipped across his face as he stepped foot on the platform, taking in the sights and sounds of the city below. It was a cloudy day, typical of this time of year, and the tops of the buildings were covered by the shroud, hiding them from view. Still, he could breath up here, the fresh air crisp and cold and welcoming. It was one of the only places he’d ever felt safe. Up here, he could do anything, be anyone. He could even pretend to be happy, something his mother reminded him so acutely that he was not.

He closed his eyes, letting the cold air burn his face and tangle his hair, reaching out with his arms to let the wind carry him away.

_“Do you think I’ll be able to fly someday dad?”_

_“If you want to, kiddo.” Han replied, holding his waist as he leaned over the edge, raising his arms up as if they were wings. “You can do anything you want.”_

_“I want to be a bird” He said firmly. “Or an eagle. Oh! What about a bat?”_

_Han chuckled, raising one hand to ruffle his son’s shaggy mop of hair. “Well, it might be too late for you to be a bird. Or an eagle or a bat. But you could be a pilot. I could teach you.”_

_Ben spun in his father’s arms, his eyes blowing wide as a grin full of crooked teeth spread across his little face. “Really? You’d teach me?”_

_“Yeah.” Han nodded, “When you’re old enough.” He pulled Ben close, hugging him tight to his chest as he whispered in his ear, “Don’t tell your mom though. She’d probably kill me.”_

_Ben pushed back to look his dad in the face, suddenly very serious. “I won’t.” he nodded firmly. “I promise.”_

Ben hadn’t told his mom their little secret, just like, many years later, Han hadn’t told her his. Even after he’d discovered the painful truth of Ben’s betrayal, he’d protected him. He always protected him.

Wetness streaked across the sides of his face as the wind drew tears from his eyes. It was just the wind, he told himself. Nothing else. Certainly not some emotion left behind from the memories that cursed him every time he came up here.

But that was a lie. He knew it was. And up here in the clouds he didn’t have to lie to himself anymore.

 _I’m sorry Dad_. He whispered into the abyss, letting the tears stream down his cheeks unbidden. _I miss you_.

______________________

“Look at the bright side Peanut. You could’ve been Hux”

“Seriously Rey. I mean take a look at his face.  I’d take the deviled egg dress over this any day.”

“I always knew Solo could throw a punch, but this is next level.”

“A piece of artwork, really.”

“Should be memorialized forever in the Skywalker family museum.”

Rey rolled her eyes as she maneuvered around the island, grabbing for the bottle of wine and draining it into her glass.

“And here I was, thinking you and Hux were old mates Poe.”

Poe scoffed incredulously. “I do believe that might be the rudest thing you have ever said to me, Rey.”

“The rudest thing I’ve said today maybe.”

“Hey!”

She couldn’t help the giggle that escaped her as she skirted away, narrowly missing Poe’s hand as he reached over the island to ruffle her hair.

They were more than a few bottles of wine deep at this point, having gathered at Poe’s apartment a few blocks from Skywalker Tower for a debriefing on the previous night’s debacle. Leia was, in true Leia form, still at the office, having been roped into a late night meeting with investors on the other side of the globe.

Finn threw his arm around her shoulders as she plopped down beside him on the couch, smirking as they watched Rose do battle with the HDMI port on Poe’s ancient TV.

“Honestly Dameron, you can’t dig a couple hundred dollars out of that thriving investment portfolio of yours to acquire something resembling a modern television?”

Poe shrugged, joining them on the armrest of the chair Kaydel was curled up in. “What can I say? They don’t make ‘em like they used to. The second this thing gives out, I’ll buy a new one. Until then, I’m staying loyal to the old girl.”

Rey shook her head, smiling as Rose grumbled curse words under her breath.

“Yeah, well, next time we have to deep dive through footage, we are going to our place.”

Poe saluted from behind her, eliciting chuckles from Kaydel just as the screen finally flickered to life.

“Ah.” Rose stood, brushing her hands together in satisfaction. “There you are.”

The footage from the night before sprung into action before their eyes, each of them leaning in closer to get a better look at the events that had unfolded.

“Can I just say,” Kaydel commented, “That even though everything else went to shit, it was really good to see your dad last night Poe.”

“Yeah,” Poe nodded in agreement. “Leave it to Leia Organa to convince the old man to put a suit back on after all these years.”

“And leave it to Kes Dameron to get us exactly what we need.” Rose paused the TV, pointing to the woman whispering in the ear of Poe’s father. “That, my friends, is Gwendoline Phasma.” Every set of eyebrows quirked up at the smug look on Rose’s face. “Snoke’s _niece_.”

“No way.” Finn breathed, leaning forward to get a better look.

“How do you know?” Rey prodded, taking careful note of the statuesque blonde’s features.

“She all but told him.” Rose replied, typing away furiously on her laptop. “And in a stroke of incredible luck, they just so happened to be standing in front of one of my microphone plants.”

She pressed play, and the audio filtered out of Poe’s speaker system.

_“Mr. Dameron,” a low, accented female voice began. “What a pleasure it is to finally meet you.”_

_“The pleasure is all mine, my dear.” The man replied smoothly. “Though I’m afraid I cannot put your lovely face to a name.”_

_The woman laughed lightly. “Gwendoline Phasma. And not to worry, we have not met before. I am simply a big fan of your work.”_

_“Well Miss Phasma, it is delightful to make your acquaintance. What brings you to this little soiree this evening?”_

_“I’m new to town, actually. But my uncle told me that this event simply could not be missed. And he would be correct. It is truly an honor to be in the presence of so many titans of industry and innovation.”_

_Kes Dameron chuckled softly. “Well, I wouldn’t call myself a titan of anything. My father perhaps… Certainly the Skywalker family….”_

_“Oh but I would.” Gwen continued, “You reinvented the wheel with regard to aviation safety. The Skywalkers may get the credit, but the ingenuity lies with you.”_

“What a suck-up” Poe scoffed, scrunching his nose up in disgust.

“Don’t pretend your dad wasn’t eating it up.” Kaydel ribbed him with a smirk.

Rose shhhhed them, waving her hand to get them to shut up. “Pay attention.”

_“...you mentioned you’re staying with your uncle?” Kes Dameron continued casually, “Might I know him?”_

_“Oh, I don’t think so.” Phasma played coy. “Snok-kuh-uh, my uncle keeps to himself.”_

_“As do I, my dear. But certainly I must know the name if he was able to swing you an invite tonight.”_

_“Ah…” Phasma hesitated, seeming to know she’d made a terrible mistake. “Perhaps. But tell me more about your work on the T-85 X-Wing Model. I’ve always been fascinated by planes, and I hear the technology on the T-85 is unparalleled…”_

“Mr. Dameron, you sly dog.” Finn smiled, leaning over Rey to punch Poe in the shoulder. “Your father is a true hero Poe. A true, honest to God hero.”

Poe just smiled, shaking his head. “The old man has his moments, I’ll give him that.”

Rose paused the audio again, zooming in on the blonde beauty her camera’s had captured on the screen. “This is big you guys. Very big. Not only do we now have a familial connection to Snoke, but we _also_ know what she looks like, _and_ that she was sent to infiltrate.”

“Interesting that she went for my dad.” Poe leaned forward, resting his chin in his hands as he studied the video. “He hardly seems like a prime target, don’t you think?”

“I agree.” Rose nodded, fast forwarding to the dinner portion of the evening. “Also interesting is that she was sitting at a table with known First Order sympathizers, yet she barely made conversation with any of them. She spent nearly the entire meal chatting away with Jan Dodonna and Mon Mothma.

“Wait.” Rey raised a hand, standing up from the couch and approaching the TV. “I think I’m missing something here. She stumbled over what could’ve been the name Snoke, sure, but we don’t know that for sure. Her uncle could be anyone. We are making assumptions here, aren’t we?”

Finn slumped back. “She has a point.”

“Right, sorry.” Rose was once again typing away furiously at her keyboard. She switched camera views and pulled up the entrance to the hall in which the gala had been held, zooming in on the black sedan that dropped Phasma off. “Look at the driver.”

Rey leaned down, her nose nearly brushing the antiquated screen as she scanned over the features of the man behind the steering wheel.

“I don’t recognize him.” She said, pulling back in confusion. “ _Should_ I recognize him?”

“No, not necessarily.” Rose continued zooming in until the man’s blurry hand filled up the screen. “But you should recognize that tattoo on his hand.”

Kaydel gasped from behind her. There it was, plain as day. The sixteen spoke circle contained within a hexagon. The symbol of the First Order.

“Alright, so she was dropped off by someone from the First Order.” Rey conceded. “But that still doesn’t make her _Snoke’s_ niece.”

“It does if you color the image.” Rose pressed a button and the video suddenly changed from black and white to technicolor. “This man’s tattoo has one important difference from all the rest.”

They all leaned forward again, studying the image carefully.

“It’s not red and black…” Rey murmured, straightening to step back from the TV. “It’s…”

“Gold.” Rose nodded. “It’s gold.”

Rey turned around, meeting the solemn stares of her friends and partners with a smile. A gold symbol was rare, an indication that someone was a personal guard to Snoke. 

"Rose," Finn smiled widely. "Has anyone ever told you how brilliant you are?"

Rose blushed a deep shade of tomato red. "Yes. But it never hurts to hear it again."

“Good work Rosie." Rey leaned down to fist-bump her roommate, winking at her. She straightened back up and crossed her arms over her chest, signalling that it was back to business. "Now what are we going to do about it?”

Poe shifted uncomfortably, looking between Kaydel and Finn guiltily.

“What Poe?” She demanded, feeling suddenly like she was being left out of some inside joke between them.

“Well, since trying to get you on the inside with Hux went south, it would be good to have someone on the inside with Phasma.  Better even, if we want to go straight for the jugular.”

“Alright...” Rey nodded slowly. “So who do we want to put on her?”

“Well…” Poe scratched his neck nervously while Finn and Kaydel looked away awkwardly.

“Oh just spit it out already!” Rey snapped.

“What about Ben?” Kaydel whispered from her place on the chair, sinking back into it as if her suggestion would be met with explosive denial.

“ _Ben?_ ” Rey balked, looking between all of her friends in shock. “Why on Earth would we put Ben Solo on a mark? _Especially_ a mark this important? He’s not even in the Resistance! What good would that possibly do!?”

“I've been thinking for a while now...” Poe began hesitantly, “And I haven’t brought it up with Leia yet, so don’t ring me out to dry. But I’ve been thinking that it might be time to try and bring him into the fold.”

Rey just stared at him, dumbfounded, as he continued rushing out his explanation. “Think about it. He’s the most recognizable face in the city, outside of his mother. Snoke is far more likely to bite at the prospect of a Solo than he is at any of us. If Phasma’s a plant, then he’s the perfect match for her.”

Rey clenched the bridge of her nose between her fingers, rubbing out the budding headache quickly taking hold. “Let me get this straight.” She gritted out slowly. “You’re suggesting we bring _Ben Solo_ , the man who brilliantly foiled our entire plan last night, into the Resistance _without_ consulting _his mother_ first.”

“Rey…”

“Nope. Don’t _Rey_ me. Is that what you’re suggesting, or isn’t it?”

Poe sighed heavily, looking down at his clenched hands. “Yeah, that’s what I’m suggesting.”

A minute of tense silence passed, the whole room waiting with baited breath for Rey to react. Finally, after what felt like an eternity had passed, she replied.

“Has it occurred to you, _any of you_ , that there might be a reason why Leia hasn’t brought Solo into the fold already?”

Four sets of eyes looked to one another hesitantly before, one by one, they shook their heads.

“It was just a suggestion Rey…”

“A bad one.” She stated flatly, crossing the room to grab her coat from the bar stool chair. “I’m tired. It’s been a long day. If you come up with a reasonable plan, come find me. Otherwise, I’m going to bed.”

She flung the jacket over her shoulder and stormed out of the apartment. It was a ridiculous suggestion, bringing _Solo_ in to land a mark. If Leia wanted him to be part of the Resistance, she would’ve included him in her work by now. She hadn’t, which meant she didn’t want him involved. What they were doing was dangerous, and Leia already lost one of the men in her life to the First Order. She could hardly blame the woman for wanting to protect her only son.

And did her friends completely forget that Solo was a notorious playboy? Sure, he could land Gwen Phasma for a night, maybe two or even three. And yeah, the blonde bombshell would look positively perfect standing next to him in a floor length gown, both tall and elegant and painfully, insufferably beautiful. But he wasn’t cut out for a relationship, even a fake one. He couldn’t be trusted to get in deep enough to pull off the long game, which is what would be necessary if they really wanted to get to Snoke.

No. It was a bad idea. Terrible really.

And it was with those words repeating themselves over and over in her head that Rey flung herself out into the cold night air, doing her darndest to push down the unwelcome fluttering taking place in her stomach at the mental picture she wished her friends had never conjured up in the first place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, I'm off to the Alps for the next week, which means I won't be able to update next week as usual :( But never fear! I am notorious for using vacations as inspiration for my writing, so you can bet I'll be working away on my various train/plane journeys. 
> 
> See you in a few weeks :)


	4. You're Nobody Till Somebody Wants You Dead

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a far too long delay, I present Chapter 4. 
> 
> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Can't Stop The Bleeding - Tom Morello, Gary Clark Jr. & Gramatik  
> Ain't No Rest for Wicked - Cage The Elephant  
> You're Nobody Till Somebody Wants You Dead - Saint Motel

It was the first cool night they’d had in a long time, a fact not lost on Cassian Andor as he waited on the roof of the Coruscant police department’s main office, the bright light he’d built to request an audience with the city’s elusive masked vigilante turned on for the world to see. Cold nights led to colder days, as winter slowly descended upon the city, and while winter was certainly still a few months away, the hints of it served as a much needed balm on his aching heart.

In many ways, winter was a blessing. Petty crime tended to decrease in the winter months, though that had as much to do with the fact that many of the city’s most vulnerable did not have the resources to make it through the brutal cold as it did anything else.

The cold did nothing to stop organized crime the way it did small time theft though. And it appeared the First Order was getting desperate.

Three more children had been orphaned today. Three more that never should’ve been. Their mother, the District Attorney Jyn Erso, was killed walking home through the park downtown, shot down in cold blood with grocery bags in her hands. Shootings might be a normal occurrence in the Undercity, not that it was ever okay, but this had taken place downtown, where the citizens of the city were supposed to feel safest. And how could the citizens of the Coruscant feel safe if their public officials were being shot down on their way home from work?

Jyn had been one of the few people in positions of power that was not in the pockets of the First Order, and, in addition, a very close friend. The loss stung more than he cared to admit, not least of all because he’d found himself fighting back feelings as their work had drawn them closer together. He was angry, and he was mourning, but he could not let that affect the work.

Which was why he stood on the roof tonight, pulling his leather jacket tighter across his chest, waiting for a man he wished he didn’t trust, unsure where else to go for help.

“Captain.”

Cassian jumped, spinning around with his heart in his throat, finding the dark, brooding figure of Kylo Ren standing behind him.

“Christ.” He bit out, breathing heavily. “Took you long enough.”

“Forgive me.” The modulated voice answered, a hint of humor in his tone. “It’s been so long since you called. I was beginning to think you met someone else.”

Cassian sneered, turning to look away from the masked man. It had been quite some time since he’d used the beacon, and not without good reason. Kylo Ren was a vigilante, taking justice into his own hands. As a captain in the police force, he should’ve been arresting the man on sight. But he couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Kylo Ren was responsible for the arrest of more drug dealers, gang leaders and mob bosses than the whole police force combined in the last year. Without his help, the city would’ve descended into utter chaos long before now.

But along with the masked stranger came a more savage First Order, and the game of cat and mouse was finally coming to a head.

“Did you hear?” He finally spoke, his voice betraying the emotion he was trying to press down.

“I did.”

“Jyn Erso wasn’t the first, and she won’t be the last.” Cassian sighed, turning off the beacon of light, shrouding the city in darkness once more. “There will be more. If I was a betting man, I’d say Mayor Mothma and Judges Tano, Ackbar and Syndulla should all be worried. Even Leia Organa…”

“Organa?” Ren’s voice darkened notably. “Why Organa?”

Cassian shrugged. “Why not Organa? She may not be in politics anymore, but she is the most vocal opponent to the First Order. She has the money, influence, and motive to try and take them down. If there is one person in this city that poses the greatest threat to the First Order, it is the Skywalker who lost her husband to their violence. As long as she’s standing, she’s a threat to them.”

Ren appeared to stiffen, standing in silence for a moment. Then, finally, “What do you have for me?”

“Not much, unfortunately.” Cassian reached into jacket, pulling out a manila folder and offering it up across the space. “Just the ballistics from today.”

Ren took the envelope and nodded. “That will be enough.”

Cassian looked at the shadow of a man that stood before him, taking in the black armor he wore, the dark mask that covered his face, shrouding his true identity from the world. The man turned away to leave, and Cassian wondered, not for the first time, who the man behind the mask really was.

“Ren.” He called out as he reached the edge of the roof.

The masked man turned back silently, waiting.

“Be careful.” He said simply. “Coruscant needs you.”

Ren hesitated, then nodded before stepping off the edge, falling down to the street below.

Cassian rushed over to the side, expecting to find a figure in black climbing down the side of the building. Instead, there was nothing, just the sound of cars and distant sirens, the shadow man having disappeared into the night once more.

________________________

She shouldn’t be doing this.

That fact weighs on her she slinks along the window sills with careful precision, the sleek magnetic gloves Rose had procured for her an added safety bonus as she scaled the building.

It had been two years, ten months and twenty two days since she’d last pulled a solo stunt like this. Not that she was counting. Because she wasn’t. Of course she wasn’t. It’s just that a night like that is hard to forget, the date etched into her brain like a tattoo.

And this was different, anyway. She wasn’t robbing to eat this time. She wasn’t actually robbing at all. She was gaining insight. Insight that they’d need if they wanted to make a move on Gwen Phasma. Sure, there were other ways. Ways that didn’t involve breaking and entering, or breaking about thirty other laws that would easily land her in a jail cell. But this was her _shtick._  This was what she had always been good at.

And once a street-rat, always a street-rat. Wasn’t that what that Unkar Plutt always used to bemoan in that nasally growl of his?

There was another voice in her head now, though. A voice that had told her a different story, offered her another path.

_“You want more than this, don’t you?”_

The memory of that night sat fresh in her mind constantly, a reminder of how far she’d come.

~

Rey’d been growing increasingly confident, and in turn, increasingly bold. She was Plutt’s best thief, and in an effort to keep her chained to him, she was being rewarded with greater challenges, all of which she accepted despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to escape.

There was only one target she hadn’t cracked at that point, one family whose coffers she had yet to lay eyes upon. It was her greatest challenge to date, and it was the only one she took on with a degree of hesitation.

“Get me the Skywalker jewels,” Plutt had promised, “And I’ll let you go.”

“Why should I believe you?” She’d questioned bitterly.

“I feed you, girl.” Plutt seethed, grabbing her chin in his thick, sweaty hand and hauling her face mere inches from his own, “Don’t forget that.”

She never brought her whole haul back to Plutt. There was always enough that she could keep some for herself without his notice. She would bring it to Finn for fencing and use the money to buy food and clothes for the poor orphan children she found on the street. They were the reason she rarely felt guilty stealing from the city’s elite, those who had far more than they could possibly need and still failed to help those with nothing.

But the Skywalker's were different. Yes, they were the wealthiest family in the city. But unlike so many others, they _did_ give back. They _did_ provide for those who needed help. She’d seen it herself, as a young girl on the streets. Leia Organa made a regular habit of sneaking into the orphanage Rey grew up in, providing them toys, coats, and treats. She hadn’t known who the beautiful, kind stranger was at the time, but many years later, as she began to pay attention to the newspaper headlines, she recognized the kind brown eyes that had snuck her cookies and gifted her the blanket that had kept her warm through countless freezing winter nights on the streets.

It had been her husband who had made the greater impact though. Han Solo had passed by her spot on an alley street corner everyday on his way to work, and everyday he would buy her a sandwich and a water bottle, hand her a twenty dollar bill and ruffle her hair. When he could, he would stop and ask her how she was doing. Sometimes he’d even take her to the ice cream shop around the corner. It was those times when he would ask about her parents, telling her that she was always welcome to come home with him, if she wanted. But every time she shook her head, too afraid to leave the life she knew behind, afraid of what Plutt would do to her if he ever found out.

When, years later, she’d seen the terrible headlines gracing the stands, she’d cried herself to sleep for weeks.  The face of the kind man who’d looked after her stared back at her in black and white below words that still haunted her to this day, a reminder that she’d lost the one person who had ever bothered to give a damn about her.

Which was why, as she carefully scaled the apartment complex where Leia Organa lived, she’d found herself paralyzed by guilt. She didn’t want to steal from this woman. But it was the only way out of the life she had fallen into, the role she’d grown into with surprising ease.

Forcing herself to focus on the challenge in front of her rather than the victim of the night’s heist, she’d entered the penthouse in cover of darkness, her leather bodysuit keeping her hidden as she easily bypassed the security system by prying open a window on the 70th floor and slipping inside. The only light in the place came from the city lights sprinkling in from the windows, leaving plenty of room to maneuver without so much as a shadow being seen.

The penthouse was spacious, with towering ceilings that made every room and hall feel larger than life. The furniture she could see was elegant, yet also surprisingly soft and cozy, a shift from many of the other homes of the rich and famous she’d entered in recent months. But she had not been there for a home tour. She’d come for the precious family jewels, the ones Plutt had so kindly shown her gracing the neck of Leia Organa and her mother in newspaper clippings and magazine photos.

She’d crept down the halls in silence until she reached the room her research told her hosted the family safe. Interestingly, Leia Organa did not house her jewels in the master suite. Instead, the penthouse was equipped with a separate safe room, a fact she’d learned from a lonely and unsuspecting building architect who she’d shared an evening of drinks with in order to gain insider knowledge of the illustrious and complicated layout he’d designed. Another evening had been spent gathering intel on the security features from a rather endearing technical analyst, though she wouldn’t pretend she’d been disappointed when three shots had taken the poor man off his feet early into the night.

It was with his incredibly helpful insight that she easily cracked the safe that night, slipping inside without triggering any of the numerous alarms and motion sensors.

Once inside, she’d been greeted with the low glow of display case lighting, gently accentuating the necklaces and bracelets she’d come to claim. Yet it was not the ruby encrusted wristwear or the sapphire pendants that drew her attention most. It was the Skywalker family’s crowned jewel that had caught her eye, drawing her in with single minded focus, like a moth drawn to the flame. The piece, a simple ring with a simple diamond that was held in place by silver rose vines, was worth more than all the rest, despite being ostensibly the least ostentatious piece in the whole collection. It’s value came not from the jewel it contained, though it was certainly worth a pretty penny in it’s own right. No, the ring’s value came from it’s story. It was the ring Anakin Skywalker had given to Padme Amidala, secretly binding the two star-crossed lovers to one another and thereby creating the dynasty that was the Skywalker family.

It was _beautiful_ , and as she stared at it, feeling the heavy weight of the history it contained, she knew she could not touch it. She could not steal such a priceless family heirloom, not from a woman who had already lost so much.

And so, she’d turned away, slumping her shoulders as she looked around the room, the sudden urge to run away empty handed smacking her across the face.

“What, is the ring not up to your taste?”

Rey nearly jumped out of her skin as she spun around in the darkness, fear filling her lungs like a poison. A lamp flickered on from the corner of the room then, revealing a middle aged woman sitting with her legs crossed, a cup of tea in one hand, the lamp string in the other.

“M-mrs. Organa.” Rey stuttered, taking a step back.

“Please.” The woman smirked against the rim of her cup. “Call me Leia.”

Rey’d just gaped at the woman as she stood slowly, making her way across the safe to stand before the ring Rey had turned away from.

“I’ve been wondering when you’d stop by.” Leia had continued “It was only a matter of time, after all. I couldn’t possibly expect the thief who collected all my friend’s jewels to forego the opportunity to get their hands on mine.”

Leia had turned to look up at her, a knowing smirk growing on her face, like she was waiting for Rey to say something. Of course, Rey didn’t. Instead she stood paralyzed with fear as Leia looked her up and down.

“I’ve been watching you for quite some time now, you know.” Leia continued, taking a sip of tea as she stepped away. “Ever since Han told me of the little girl on the street. I’ve been keeping tabs, making sure you were alright. You disappeared for a while, and I’ll admit I was shocked when you turned up again as a master jewelry thief. Han would be proud.”

Leia smiled to herself, setting the tea down while Rey spun around to follow her movement, trying to digest the words she was hearing. “I wish you’d come home with him.” Leia continued, sighing heavily. “I kept telling him to offer, but we couldn’t force you. No matter how badly we wanted to.”

Leia took a step closer then, looking Rey dead in the eyes, despite the mask she wore to keep half her face hidden, spearing deeper into her soul than she’d even thought possible. “You want more than this, don’t you?”

_Yes._

Rey had nodded slowly, fighting back the tears that threatened to break free at any moment as Leia took her hands in her own and squeezing gently, reassuringly. “Then let me help you.”

Rey swallowed, looking down at the hands that held hers, the first kind gesture from an adult she’d experienced since Han. “W-why? Why wouldn’t you turn me in?”

Leia had smiled, raising a hand to caress her face gently. “Because it’s not your fault, what’s happened to you. And…” Leia’s playful demeanor darkened just so, “because I could use someone with skills like yours, if we’re ever going to stop these terrible things from happening to others like you.”

~

That’s why she was doing this, she reminded herself. Every day, more children were orphaned unnecessarily by gang violence and organized crime. And everyday, those same orphans were recruited to do the bidding of those same murderers in order to survive, just as she had been years before. If spying on Gwen Phasma meant that they made even one tiny step forward in the quest to stop the First Order, than it was worth it. Besides, Rose had left Phasma’s suspected address laying out on their island when she returned home, conveniently close to a bag of bugs and cameras.

If that wasn’t permission enough for what she was about to do, she didn’t know what was.

And so, just as she had that fateful night years before, Rey scaled up the side of a building to a window that should’ve been unreachable and plied her way inside, avoiding the hassle of disarming the alarm systems by bypassing them entirely. Gwen Phasma’s apartment was just as elegant as Leia’s, though admittedly somewhat smaller, and was decorated with enough furnishings to make embedding the camera’s Rose had left for her a simple task.

She set to work, placing mini cameras and nearly invisible microphone chips throughout the main rooms of the apartment, taking a moment to ogle the impressive technological advancements that Lando Calrissian and Rose Tico continued to pour out of the vaults of Skywalker Industries as she set them in place.

The work was fast and easy, each room providing ample opportunity for bugging. It wasn’t until she reached the last door, the one she knew led to their target, that she hesitated. She could probably go without bugging Phasma’s bedroom. Quite frankly, she was certain none of them cared to know what took place there. But she was here, she wouldn't get another shot at this, and she was nothing if not thorough.

Blessedly, the door opened on it’s hinge without the need for WD40, granting her silent entrance to the sprawling master bedroom. She could see the outline of a body lying still in the center of the king sized bed, her chest rising and falling steadily, indicating deep sleep. Nevertheless, Rey held her breath, carefully testing each floorboard for squeaks as she made her way to the corners of the room.

The two cameras were easy, aided by a conveniently placed armchair and elaborate mahogany dresser. The bugs needed to be more strategically placed. She crept closer to the bed, her eyes pinned to the unmoving figure tangled in the sheets. The woman had grown almost eerily still. If Rey didn’t know better, she might’ve thought she was dead. She stopped, waiting for another sign of slumber, balancing precariously on her toes in the center of the room. If Phasma woke up, there would be no time to hide.

The moments dragged on, until finally Phasma let out a light snore. Rey breathed a sigh of relief, letting her shoulders fall just so before lowering herself to the floor and crawling the rest of the way to the bed. Once beneath the large sleigh frame, she made quick work of placing the microphones, making sure each side of the room would be captured. Then she slowly pulled herself out and slinked across the room and back out of the door, without so much as a glance behind her.

Therein lay her mistake.

She exited the room and made a beeline back to the main living space, where the window she’d entered through sat open and waiting. It had been easier than expected, in and out within fifteen minutes incident free. Nobody could be mad about that, even if she had gone in without permission or backup. Things had gone smoothly. No reason to drag anyone else in.

All relief left her, as did the air in her lungs, as a pair of strong arms latched around her neck, dragging her backwards away from the window.

Rey gasped for air as her fingers flew to the arms around her neck, desperate for air. Her instincts kicked in as she began to black out, slamming her heel into the foot of her attacker.

A female groan sounded in her ear as the arms loosened just enough for Rey to stumbled away. She turned and immediately noted the short blonde hair and amazonian figure of Gwen Phasma, growling as she barreled forward again.

Rey just barely dodged her reach, throwing an elbow at her neck, sending Phasma stumbling back slightly. But it was not far enough. She was back on Rey a second later, dodging each blow and punch with a skill to match her own.  

They tumbled backward, leading Rey further away from her only escape route, as she landed punch after punch to her gut.

“Who sent you?” Phasma ground out after pulling Rey back into a chokehold. Rey elbowed her in the gut and spun, following up the blow with another knee to the groin that had Phasma bent over momentarily. She recovered quickly, but not quite quick enough and Rey managed to run across the room and fling herself out the window just as Phasma’s hand gripped one of her ankles.

Dangling precariously out the window, the street lights glistening more than 40 stories below, she felt her life flash before her eyes. If Phasma managed to pull her back up, she was dead. If she let go of her leg, she was also dead. All in all, two less than stellar options.

Phasma began to pull and she instinctively started kicking. It was an instantaneous, gut decision, but she’d take her chances with the side of the building over the unexpectedly well-trained woman who now held her life in her hands.

A few kicks were enough to loosen Phasma’s grip, plummeting Rey to her inevitable skull shattering death. She grasped desperately at the side of the building as she fell, reaching for anything she could snatch hold of to soften the blow. But the street just kept growing closer, and with it her life flashed before her eyes: All the people she loved, those who would kill her for having done this alone. Finn’s bright smile, Poe’s infectious laugh, Rose’s hugs and Kaydel’s unfailing support. Leia’s kind, beautiful eyes slipping from bright and cheerful to devastated and distraught.

And then, unexpectedly, those eyes morphed, staying the same chocolate brown, but instead of Leia’s lovely face they now sat on her son’s. Why Ben Solo’s face was the last place her mind went before she died, she couldn’t possibly comprehend.

Then, suddenly, the magnetic glove on her right hand caught onto a flagpole, jerking her from her blacked-out reverie as she swung, dangling only three stories from the ground. She threw her other hand around the pole, breathing harder than she ever had as she forced herself to calm down enough to think. There was a ledge within swinging distance that she could grab hold of. Once there, she could climb down the side of the building much the same as she’d climbed up, using the window sills to reach the ground.

The second her feet touched the ground, she fell, overtaken by exhaustion as the adrenaline left her. She was pretty sure she had a cracked rib, if the painful intake of breath was any indication, and she’d most certainly have a few fresh bruises in the morning. But she was alive, so she’d take what she could get.

It was a long, slow slog to her motorbike, parked discreetly in a side alley. Driving in this condition was stupid, but it was late and she didn’t have much choice.

It was somewhat of a miracle that she made it into their garage in one piece she realized as she stumbled to the elevator and down the hall toward their apartment, expecting to slip inside to find Rose either asleep or working in her room, unaware of Rey’s late arrival home.

That wasn’t the case tonight, though.

“Rey? Oh my god Rey, what happened?”

Rose’s arms were around her the second the door shut behind her, holding her up as she helped her to the couch and pulled her mask over her head, inspecting her face for breaks and bruises.

“Rey…”

“It was stupid.” Rey breathed out heavily, grimacing in pain. “I know that.”

Rose cradled her cheek, having finished her initial assessment. “Well, did you at least get what we needed?”

Rey nodded, dropping her head back against the couch and closing her eyes.

Rose squeezed her hand and left her space, prompting Rey to open her eyes just enough to see Rose’s face lit up by the blue light of her computer screen.

“You’re up late, even for you.”

Rose gulped, turning to look at Rey with fear in her eyes. “I was going to wait till morning to tell you…”

Rey sat up, flinching as she grabbed for her rib cage. “What is it?”

Rose looked down at the screen and let out a full body sigh. Then, she spun the screen toward Rey.

The images entered her brain, but they did not immediately compute.

“No...”

“I didn’t want to believe it either.”

Rey pushed the computer away, unwilling to watch anymore. “We have to protect her.”

“We’ll do our best.” Rose nodded, trying to convince herself as much as Rey. “But Rey, they got Jyn Erso today.”

Rey’s stomach sank. She’d always liked Jyn. And she had three young children too.  

“What do we do?”

“For now?” Rose closed her laptop, shrouding them in darkness. “You need to sleep. You look like shit.”

Rey stood, fists clenching. “You want me to sleep? After seeing that?”

Rose jumped up, taking her hands as Rey stumbled slightly. “Rey, if you don’t sleep you won’t heal. And if you don’t heal you won’t be able to help her.”

Rey grunted, but she still let Rose help her to her room, laying down carefully on her bed. Rose tucked her in carefully and then turned to leave, shutting the light off as she reached to shut the door.

“Rose?” Rey called out just before the door clicked closed.

“Yeah, Rey?”

“I love you, you know that?”

“I love you too Rey. Now get some rest, before I tell Poe and Finn what you did tonight.”

The threat silenced her, but it did nothing to slow down her brain. Rose was right, she _needed_ to sleep. But tonight, the odds were not in her favor.

__________________

Leia stood at the window of her penthouse apartment, the distinctive signal of vigilante justice lighting up the night sky above Skywalker Tower. In one hand she held a nearly empty glass of Corellian whiskey, having cracked open a dusty bottle of her late husband’s drink of choice. In the other she held an open envelope.

She knew what it meant, just as some part of her had always known it was coming. It was only a matter of time.

And now, it seemed, time was the only thing she was short on.

She took a long pull of the amber liquid, watching as the light flickered out above the police station, the stars returning to light up the night sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next week on APBoJ: We set the stage for some serious Reylo bonding time. Because I _know_ you all want me to drag this ish out as long as possible again...


	5. Another One Bites the Dust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado, Timbaland  
> Another One Bites the Dust - Queen

 It began with a cup of coffee.

The _wrong_ cup of coffee as it turned out.

The man called Ben Solo had been back for about a month at the time, though what he’d been doing during that month was anyone's guess. She hadn’t seen him in person since barging in on his reunion with Leia, and while the whole city seemed incapable of talking about anything else, he’d managed to disappear with surprising effectiveness.

Despite that fact, Rey’s every waking thought seemed to revolve around him. The constant barrage of press questions and hours spent in meetings with lawyers was wearing her down. Bringing a man back from the dead was hard work, particularly when said man appeared to have no interest in explaining himself. 

The official line, as it had been constructed by the ever diligent communications department, was that it was a private family matter, which naturally gave way to a myriad of outrageous rumors ranging from a hostage situation to an international trafficking ring. The board approved of this for the sole reason that the intrigue of his return had spiked the price of market shares. That and the fact that the truth remained as much a mystery as the man, and apparently no one had the guts, nor the creative inspiration to come up with a more reasonable story. He was, by all accounts, an enigma. And if the last month was anything to go by, Rey fully expected him to stay that way. 

So to say she was surprised when Leia called her into her office the evening prior to tell her that Ben would officially start work the following day would’ve been an understatement. The request had been deceivingly simple: Help him get settled in; show him the ropes; be a friendly face he recognized. Despite her initial surprise, she’d said yes without a second thought, her curiosity getting the better of her. This was her opportunity to really meet the little boy whose pictures had greeted her every time she stepped foot into Leia’s office, to get some answers to the questions that had been keeping her up at night, and to make nice with the man who would likely take over the company one day. 

At least, that’s what she _thought_ would happen.

Boy had she been wrong. 

She’d met him at the elevator, extending the cup of coffee she’d procured for him as a gesture of good-will with a smile.

“Good morning Mr. Solo. I’m Rey Niima. We met a few weeks back…”

He looked her over for a moment before seeming to place her. “Right. You’re my mother’s secretary.”

“Oh, no I’m not her secretary…”

“Thank you.” He cut her off, snatching the cup of coffee from her outstretched hand and starting down the long hallway that led to his new office.

Taken aback by his abruptness, she stiffened, staring blankly until the elevator doors closed and woke her from her daze to hurry after him. 

“We put you in your father’s old office.” She offered breathlessly, having practically ran to catch up with his long gait, “We thought that you would be most comfortable - “

“Uck.” Ben Solo groaned, pursing his lips in disgust as he pulled back to glare at the cup of coffee he’d just taken his first sip of. “What the hell is that supposed to be?”

“I.. It.. it’s a cappuccino, Sir.”

“Is it?” He scoffed, tossing the nearly full cup in a passing trash bin. “Good to know they’re still not worth ordering outside of the Nabian peninsula.”

Rey looked back at the perfectly good cappuccino that was now seeping through the garbage lining before turning to glare daggers at the back of his head. 

”I apologize Sir.” she bit out. “If you tell me what you’d like instead, I’ll make sure to have it sent up.”

He didn’t bother responding, continuing on as if he hadn’t even heard her while his eyes tracked around the office. “It certainly has changed around here.” He noted somewhat wistfully. “For starters, the secretaries used to go get the coffee themselves.”

Rey gaped at him, unable to keep from snapping. “I’m _not_ a secretary.”

“Then why are you still calling me _Sir_?”

That shut her up on the spot. 

“She speaks very highly of you.” He continued after a moment. “But I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how someone with your pitiful taste in caffeinated beverages has made it this far. My mother may be an addict but she still has taste.” 

She could feel the smugness emanating off of him now as she snuck a glare in his direction. He was goading her, trying to get a reaction. If the growing smirk wasn’t evidence enough, the glimmer in his eyes as he looked back at her gave him away. 

“I get your mother’s coffee for her _just fine_ when I’m so inclined to do so, thank you very much.” 

He chuckled, that low, deep rumble that still managed to stirred something in her gut on the rare occasion she heard it. “I’m sure you do.”

They continued in silence, though the tension was thickening by the second. 

“Tell me, _Miss_ Niima, was it you who came up with the ridiculous stock line about where I’ve been all these years? Or was it the buffoons down in Communications?”

She looked up at him, only then taking in his appearance for the first time since he’d barreled out of the elevator. He was dressed in a crisp dark grey suit which only served to emphasize his long, wavy black hair. He was much the same as the boy in the pictures she’d seen on Leia’s office and apartment, and yet, somehow, he wasn’t. He was older, certainly, but there was something else too. A darkness perhaps, to add to the layers of mystery that surrounded the man. She thought she might get some answers today. Instead she was left with a thousand more questions. 

As if she hadn’t already lost countless hours of  sleep over this infuriating man...

“The board felt that it was best to be vague for the time being so as to-“

“So it was my mother’s idea.” When she didn’t respond further, he tisked, dropping his hands into the pockets of his perfectly tailored pants. “That’s disappointing.”

“I expect that you will be at liberty to change the messaging as you see fit now that you are here in an official capacity.”

“And ruin the mystery? Now where would be the fun in that?”

They reached the door to his office, a shiny new nameplate already marking it as his, and he turned to face her, looking her in the eyes for the first time.

“No, I think I’ll stick with that company line. So as to keep the interest stirring, right? Wouldn’t want to harm the bottom line after all.”

“That is your decision to make, S… Mister… Solo… Uh...”

What had been but a hint of a smirk now emerged full blown, reaching up to his chocolatey brown eyes and piercing her like a knife.

“It’s not 1950 Miss Niima, and I am not your boss. But if you’re going to insist on addressing me as such, I think I’m going to have to insist you fetch me a proper cup of coffee from here on out.” 

She drew back, pulling her lips into a hard line. “That would be rather difficult since I clearly possess neither taste _nor_ an inkling of what you like.”

“No?” His brown quirked as he turned into his office. “Not even a guess? Come now, I know you haven’t climbed this far on looks alone.”

She couldn’t stop the gasp that left her lips. How dare he imply she slept her way to the top. Who would she have slept with anyway? All the men in his family up and vanished within a year of each other. Not that she _ever_ would’ve done that in the first place. But knocking her appearance was a low blow, especially since she happened to think that she’d pulled herself together rather nicely this morning, even wearing her favorite lucky heels, for all the good that had done her.

Her self-esteem thoroughly lambasted for the day, Rey stormed in after him, slamming his paperwork down on his desk with an affronted huff. Ben turned back at the sound, meeting her chest to chest, stoking her temper to life.

“You’re right _Mister Solo._  I’ve worked hard to get where I am, unlike some of us here.” She dragged her eyes down the length of him, trying not to think about the significant height difference as she stood her ground. “And since you’ve been so persistent in getting my answer, I’d say you like your coffee black, just like your soul.”

His eyes shot wide as her words hit him, and she immediately regretted every syllable. Maybe he wasn’t technically her boss, but his mother was. Not to mention that her sole job this morning was to make him feel comfortable. And now she’s just implied he was a nepotism hire without a heart.

 _Great job Rey. Really excellent first impression. You’ve come in_ so _hot this morning_. 

Unable to look away for some inexplicable reason, she just stared as his face morphed from surprise into a hardened coldness not unlike the mask she’d seen Leia slip on so many times. 

“Well look at you.”

His eyes lingered on her, locking her in place as she got lost in their depth. Then, suddenly, he moved, sitting down carefully in the large leather chair that had once belonged to his father, seeming not quite comfortable there.

“I-I’m sorry.” She stammered, standing frozen in front of his desk. “I’ll go get you that coffee.”

“Don’t worry about it.” He replied flatly, moving to sort through the paperwork, “I can get it myself. I think I’m at least qualified enough to do that.”

She nodded meekly. “Of course. Let me… let me know if you need anything else. I’m, um, I’m just down the hall.”

He nodded, keeping his eyes glued to the forms, signing the first one a little too aggressively. 

Rey spun on her heels without another word, using every ounce of restrain she could muster to keep from running out the door. She was nearly to safety when his voice called out, pulling her to an abrupt stop.

“Miss Niima.” She turned, just as he looked up at her from hooded lids. “You have good instincts. You should trust them more.”

She could do nothing but nod before stepping over the threshold and letting her feet robotically carry her the rest of the way to her office. 

She did not see Ben Solo for the rest of the day. Instead, she arrived to her office the next morning to find a steaming mug of tea sitting on her desk. 

English Breakfast, no cream or sugar.

There was no note, but she knew a peace offering when she saw one. 

And while he hadn’t quite hit the nail on the head with her drink of choice, he’d gotten very close. 

Too close. 

—————————-

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Ben, listen to me-.”

“ _No_.”

Gods he was stubborn. It hadn’t been immediately obvious to her when he’d come back from wherever it was he’d been all those years, but as time went on, his stubborn streak quickly emerged as one of his defining personality traits. 

Today, though, Rey happened to agree with him, though her reasons and his were not entirely the same. 

“Ben, you’re overreacting.”

“ _Overreacting_?” He fumed, pacing around Leia’s office. “Jyn Erso was shot in _that_ park. _Yesterday._ ” He thrust his finger at the glass. “You _know_ who did it and you _know_ what it means. And now you want to sit here and tell me that I’m _overreacting_?! Have you LOST your mind?”

“As much as it pains me to admit this,” Rey stood from her spot on Leia’s couch, crossing to stand beside her ticking time bomb of a son, “I agree with Ben. I know this deal is important, but it’s not more important than your safety.”

Ben’s head spun to look down at her, seemingly surprised that she’d sided with him. 

“See.” He threw a thumb in her direction. “Even Rey agrees. So you _know_ it’s a terrible idea.”  

Leia shook her head. “I both understand and appreciate your concern. Both of you. But we cannot allow ourselves to appear rattled. Especially not in times like this.”

“Keeping up the image is _not_ worth your life.” Ben insisted. 

“It’s not about the image.” Leia crossed her arms, bearing down on her son despite the foot he had on her. “It’s about allowing you to grow into your place here. Besides, if Snoke wants me dead, what are you going to be able to do to stop him? Hmm?”

“That… No…You’re missing the point!”

“ _No,_ you are.” Leia held her ground. “There’s nothing you can do Ben. So you are going, whether you like it or not.”

Rey could only watch as Ben’s fists balled tightly at his side, the tension rising between mother and son palpable as they communicated with only their eyes. 

“If something happens to you…” He spoke finally through clenched teeth, his whole body tensed like he was ready for a fight, “I will never forgive you.”

With that he turned, storming from the room with all the flair of a classically trained thespian. 

As soon as he was gone, Leia let out a deep, audible sigh, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “I’d love to blame his father for his dramatic streak, but he was doomed from the start with the two of us for parents.”

Rey looked to Leia, noting how the mask of strength she worked so hard to portray was slipping. “He doesn’t want to lose you. None of us do.” 

“I know.” Leia nodded, wrapping her arms around herself as she turned to look out her window. “Though I’ll admit I’m still surprised to hear you siding with him. After all your months of hard work, all those hours I’ve forced you to spend together working on this, now you’ll finally see the payoff. I thought you’d be thrilled.”

“I wouldn’t have agreed with him. But now something’s come up that’s changed my mind.”

“Oh?”

Rey sighed, taking a step closer. “Leia, Rose saw something last night. Something you need to know about.”

Leia looked up at her expectantly.

“You know she has cameras outside your building.”

“Yes...” Leia nodded calmly.

“Well,” Rey drew in a deep breath. “Last night there was someone out there, messing around with the cameras, checking the windows. Basically, it looked like they were testing your defenses.”

Leia continued to look stare at her, waiting. “Alright…”

Rey hesitated. She knew what she saw last night, but the more she’d thought it over as she’d tossed and turned in her bed, the less it added up. Which was why, rather than giving Leia the straight answer, she immediately began word-vomiting her ‘but’ statement. 

“It doesn’t make a lot of sense, and heaven knows he probably could’ve gotten in if he wanted to…”

“Rey…”

“...and he’s certainly not innocent, always making a show of everything instead of trying to be even remotely subtle…”

“Rey…”

“...but he always struck me as a lone wolf. I mean, how many First Order thugs has he taken out? Sure, the method is impractical, but he certainly doesn’t _appear_ to be on their side…”

“REY!”

“So I - Yes?”

“ _Who was it_?”

“Right.” Rey paused, looking down at her hands. “Well, you see, it was Kylo Ren.”

Leia looked at her for a long moment, seeming to mull over the words, and then, suddenly she nodded. 

“Huh. That’s interesting.”

“Which is why now seems like a really dreadful time be leaving you here and… wait, what?”

“I said ‘that’s interesting’.”

Rey did a double take. Leia was oddly calm. For all of the resources the Resistance had at their disposal, they’d been utterly incapable of tracking down the masked vigilante. He operated in the shadows, leaving a trail of limp bodies in his wake. And while he did not work for them, or even with them, somehow his agenda always seemed to line up cleanly with theirs. It was for this reason that she’d finally agreed to let it go after months of searching. The excitement of some secret dark savior kept the press occupied while they operated quietly around him, using more traditional methods to ensure the criminals he apprehended could actually be prosecuted. 

But they had no way of knowing what his true motives were, and no matter matter how much she’d enjoyed fighting with him the other night, or how viciously the butterflies battered around in her stomach whenever she watched him take out the bad guys from afar, there was only one thing she actually knew about the man called Kylo Ren: He. Was. Dangerous. And she knew better than to think he could ever be trusted. 

“You’re not… worried?”

Leia shook her head ponderously. “I didn’t say that. I just said that I find it interesting. And not what I would’ve expected.”

“But you agree that it’s a problem, right? We can’t leave you here unprotected. Not with a man like that creeping around.”

“Rey,” Leia leaned against her desk, “I wasn’t completely honest about the purpose of this trip.”

Rey lowered herself to the windowsill slowly. “What do you mean?”

“I received a letter yesterday.” Leia replied, brandishing an envelope from behind her back. “From someone I thought lost.”

Leia lifted the envelope, handing it over for Rey to read herself, ever mindful of ears listening in, even in a castle of her own. 

She unfolded the small paper, reading the words once, then again, and then again.

> _Princess,_
> 
>  
> 
> _The raven flew too soon._
> 
> _The mountains stir._
> 
> _The sky will burn again._
> 
>  
> 
> _With love,_
> 
> _Farm boy_

She looked up from the letter, utterly baffled. “I don’t understand…”

“Nor would I expect you to.” Leia replied, taking the letter back from Rey’s hand. “Just know this: I would not ask you to go if I did not need you there.”

“So this is a mission?”

Leia nodded. “Seeing how you’ve taken it upon yourself to take some missions into your own hands lately, I thought I would be a little more up front about this one.”

“How did you…”

“Rose isn’t the only one with access to those cameras you know.” Leia smiled, raising a hand to cut Rey off. “And before you ask, don’t worry. I haven’t told Poe and Finn. And I won’t. Not if you agree to go.”

Rey laughed. “Are you blackmailing me?”

Leia smiled mischievously. “It’s possible.”

Rey just shook her head. “I’ll do it Leia. Just please oh please oh please, do _not_ tell Poe and Finn.” The boys would rake her over the coals for being so reckless. She loved her best friends dearly, and appreciated how much they cared, but sometimes they could be a little _too_ overbearing.

“I won’t. But Rey,” Leia reached forward, pulling Rey’s hands into her own, “This mission _will_ be dangerous. I would not be surprised if the First Order has people vying for the same bid. In fact, I fully expect that they will. Know that I would not ask it of you if there was any other way.”

She did know. Leia never begged, and she never put Rey in a position where she couldn’t say no. Whatever that letter meant, it was important, and Leia had given her too much in this life to back out when she needed her most. 

“What about Kylo Ren?”

“Don’t worry about that now. We will come up with a plan. I can go stay in Ben’s apartment while he’s away, or something.”

Rey looked down at the aging hands that held her own, suddenly feeling that same protectiveness that she’d seen in Ben mere minutes before. Leia was the closest thing she’d ever had to a mother. She would do anything for her, even agree to a mission with no knowledge of what it entailed. But there was one piece of the puzzle that didn’t line up, one that could not be ignored.

“What about Ben? Won’t he be in danger too?”

Leia smiled, “You’ll keep him in line, I have no doubt.”

Rey snorted. “In what world? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but Ben and I don’t exactly have the best track record of sticking to the script.”

Leia squeezed her hand gently. “I know my son. Better, I’d like to think, than he realizes. You may not realize it, but he listens to you. He trusts you. And I know you’ll keep him safe.”

Rey hesitated, pulling back slightly. “I don’t know…”

“I do.” Leia implored, reaching up the brush a loose strand of hair behind Rey’s ear. “Now get going. I’ll debrief you more fully tonight. You’ve got a meeting to run here in a few minutes if I’m not mistaken. And I need to have Kaydel set up your travel plans.”

“Fine.” Rey rolled her eyes, crossing the room to grab her bag from the couch. “Just don’t lock me in a hotel room with him, alright? I’ll do my best to keep the First Order from taking him out, but I make no promises about myself.”

“Oh don’t worry.” Leia chuckled lightly, sitting back down at her desk as Rey turned out of her office. “I wouldn’t _dream_ of it.”

—————————-

“CHEWIE!”

Ben burst into his apartment, slamming the door open with such force that the nearby sculpture teetered dangerously. Tossing his jacket over the nearest chair, he stormed through the open floor plan and into the kitchen, thrusting open the refrigerator door a little too aggressively and yanking out a bottle of water.

“CHEWIE WHERE ARE YOU?” 

“Right behind you Master Solo.”

Ben jumped, spinning and crunching the bottle in his hand as the old man raised his brow from across the kitchen. “Christ. A warning next time would be nice.”

“Forgive me. I thought it was safe to assume that you wanted to see me, what with the aggressive screaming of my name and all.”

Ben rolled his eyes, tossing the bottle cap over his shoulder into the recycling bin behind him. “Come on, we have work to do.”

Chewie followed after him, keeping stride as he swept down the hall toward the bookshelf that hid the entrance to what could only be described as his lair. 

“Did you find anything on that Phasma woman?”

“As a matter-of-fact, I did.” Chewie nodded as Ben pulled out the tattered old copy of Edgar Allen Poe’s _The Raven_ , initiating the security sequence. “Though I’m afraid it’s all downstairs. I wasn’t expecting you home so early. Trouble at the office?”

Ben grunted, dumping back the water bottle with unnecessary derision as he raised his hand to scan them in. 

“I see.” Chewie nodded solemnly. “It wouldn’t have to do with Miss Niima again, would it?”

Ben turned to glare daggers at his family’s longtime butler. “I didn’t say that.”

“Didn’t have to. The newspapers spoke for themselves.”

Ben groaned. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Clearly not, seeing how you’ve been avoiding me like I carry the plague.”

The bookshelf slid back and to the left, revealing the crated elevator that would escort them deep below the apartment complex and the two men stepped inside. 

“I’ve been busy.” He muttered.

“Not so busy that you couldn’t squeeze in a quick rendezvous with our lovely scavenging friend again though, no?”

Ben crushed the now empty water bottle in his hand, stepping into the elevator and punching the down button with a little too much force. The doors were shut and the lift had begun its descent before Chewie tried again. 

“Should I expect you to illuminate me as to what it is you’re brooding about at some point this evening? Or am I going to have to continue to deduce all of your problems myself?”

Ben grumbled, turning to look at Chewie for the briefest moment before settling his gaze at the door once more. 

“It’s my mother.”

Chewie’s shot ram-rod straight so fast it was almost amusing. “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine. For now anyway. Out of her goddamn mind, but she’s breathing.”

Chewie relaxed visibly as the elevator came to a jerky stop at the bottom of the shaft, opening up to reveal a sprawling chasm of metal and tech, the sound of the local water supply rushing through the pipes overhead. Ben stepped out of the lift, pulling the envelope he’d acquired from Captain Andor out of his pocket and heading immediately for the forensics computer on the other side of the grated floor.

“Did you happen to take a break from spying on me long enough to see that Jyn Erso was shot yesterday.” Ben called out, placing the bullet inside the machine and beginning the scan.

“I did.” Chewie replied solemnly. “Terrible news.”

“They’re getting desperate.” Ben turned to the computer screen, bringing up one of the many cameras they’d tapped into throughout the city. “Jyn was just the beginning. Every public figure that openly opposes the First Order is at risk. Yet my mother seems to believe that now is the best time to send me out to schmooze with some pretentious think tankers while she sits here, woefully under protected, like she’s waiting to die.”

“This is the Hapes Consortium deal, isn’t it? The one you and Miss Niima have been working on for months?”

Yes, as a matter of fact they _had_ been working on this proposal for months. Months he was not entirely thrilled to see come to an end. But it was a moot point right now. His mother’s safety came first. Besides, he was not entirely sure that Rey wasn’t still plotting his slow and painful death for the fiasco at the gala. Being stuck alone with her for any amount of time could be downright dangerous. 

Ben turned to watch the scanner that was now taking reads on the shattered bullet. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not going.”

“Ben…”

“No.” Ben shook his head forcefully, his pointer finger thrashing forward to make his point. “No more _Ben_ -ing me. I’m a grown-ass man - Don’t give me that look. I’m serious. She’s in danger. And dammit, I did not come back from the dead just to sit back and let her take my place!”

Chewie tilted his head as it shook, opening his mouth for what was sure to be an argumentative retort, when his face froze, gaze shooting upward to the computer monitor behind Ben’s head. “Well that’s interesting.”

“What-?” Ben spun, finding himself face-to-face with a sight he was not at all prepared for.

There, on the screen in vivid black and white, was a familiar figure, dressed in head-to-toe black spandex, her every curve on full display as she free climbed her way up the side of the brick uptown apartment complex.

“Is that…?” Ben asked, bending forward over the control panel in disbelief.

“I daresay it is.” Chewie stepped next to him, pressing down on a key to illuminate the location of the camera. “This is footage from outside Miss Phasma’s apartment last night. I had not yet had an opportunity to go through it.”

They watched in silent awe as the woman reached the window’s ledge and plied open the window only to disappear from view.

“What is she doing?” Ben wondered aloud, pressing down on the controls to skip ahead in the recording. 

He stopped as soon as there was movement, and a few seconds later the leather clad woman was flinging herself out of the window, only to be grabbed at the last second by the Amazonian blonde whose apartment she’d broken into. 

“No.” He gasped, taking an involuntary step closer as he watched in horror as the woman he’d been chasing after all this time kicked herself loose and fell out of the camera’s view.

“Shit, Chewie, zoom out!” He yelled, reaching for the keyboard and typing furiously. Chewie was beside him a moment later, doing the same.

“I don’t think we have another camera in that area, Sir.”

“We have to have something on the ground!” His hands flew across the keyboard, desperate for proof that she had somehow survived. “Chewie! Where the fuck is our camera on the ground!?”

After a moment, Chewie stopped typing, stepping back and shaking his head in disbelief. “I… I’m sorry, sir. But we don’t have another camera.”

Ben’s eyes flew back up to the screen, where the image of the Scavenger falling head first to her seemingly inevitable death was now playing on repeat like some kind of terrible dream. There was almost no way someone could survive a fall from that height. Even someone with skills like hers wouldn’t be able to suddenly sprout wings and soar away to safety. He had no idea who she was, but yet some part of him felt like he knew her better than he’d ever known anyone. She couldn’t be gone. She just couldn’t be... .

“Ben…” Chewie placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, which was shaking along with the rest of his body. “Are you alright?”

No. No he was not alright. He’d been so close to catching her; to finally knowing who the woman who had haunted his dreams actually was underneath that mask. He’d always told Chewie he wanted to find her because she was dangerous, unpredictable, and prone to interfering where she did not belong. 

The truth was far less pragmatic though. What the Scavenger really represented was his one shot at a life not lived alone. She was the one person who might understand what it was like to give up all opportunities for love and connection, who could understand what it meant to be a symbol and what sacrifices that entailed. She was his chance to escape from the torture of having to work beside Rey Niima, with her beautiful hazel eyes and her infuriatingly long legs, knowing that no matter how badly he wanted it, he could never have her. What Kylo Ren represented was more important than what Ben Solo wanted, and she would only get hurt along the way.

But the Scavenger was different, and he’d foolishly hoped that perhaps she might be able to understand. That maybe, just maybe, she would want to share in that loneliness, together.

But now he’d never know. And it was all tied back to Gwendoline Phasma. 

A beeping signalled that the ballistics scan was complete, and he shirked Chewie’s hand from his shoulder without an answer, stalking past and snatching the report off the scanner. He hadn’t expected to learn much from the shattered remains of the bullet, but what he saw there made his vision go red, his despair boiling into rage as the words washed over him.

“Chewie,” He looked up, crunching the paper in his hand. “I want everything we’ve got on Canto Bight, the Hapes Consortium’s connection to it, and Gwendoline Phasma. _Now_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I stand before you on bent knees begging for your forgiveness for how long it has taken me to produce this chapter. My favorite coffee shop/writing den closed a few weeks back, and honestly, I feel a little lost.
> 
> But fear not! The next chapter is almost written, and if all goes to plan, I may just get it posted before the weekend is up :)
> 
> Thank you all who are following along in this story. We are getting to the good stuff soon, I promise, but your comments, theories and tidbits keeps me going and inspire me where cozy coffee shop booths no longer can.
> 
> xx


	6. She's Kerosene

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three stages of failure, as told by Kylo Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Layla - Eric Clapton  
> She’s Kerosene - The Interrupters  
> BOOM - X Ambassadors
> 
> A note as we continue - I am using canon Star Wars planets and species as stand ins for real places and ethnicities in our world. Here’s a helpful guide:  
> Coruscant = NYC or the equivalent (i.e. Gotham)  
> Naboo/Nabian Peninsula = Italy  
> Twi’leki = French  
> Dathomir = Oman/Yemen  
> Canto Bight = Monaco  
> Alderaan = Switzerland
> 
> For the purposes of this story, Jakku is not a desert, but rather a particularly nasty neighborhood in Coruscant undercity.

_3 weeks earlier_

 

Ben Solo set three rules for himself the day he decided to bring Kylo Ren back to life.

Rule #1: Do not tell anyone who you really are

Rule #2: Do not become a public figure

And, last but certainly not least, Rule #3:

Do not, under any circumstances, become attached to anyone that did not raise you

He’d gone so far as to write down those three rules, plastering the original note in the elevator as a constant reminder of the life he had chosen to live. 

It was unsurprising then that it was in said elevator that he realized, with a resigning thud of his head, that he had, without one single doubt or argument to be made, broken every single one of those rules in truly spectacular fashion.

The first rule had gone out the window almost immediately, more out of necessity than anything else. The moment he returned to Coruscant, Chewie was there, ready and willing to stand by Ben’s side in his quest to avenge the man he loved like his own son. He remained the only person who knew what Ben Solo was really doing all the nights where his bed sat empty, and it sure as hell wasn’t what all the tabloids thought. His loyalty was unconditional, having practically raised Han Solo, not to mention his son. It was for that reason and that reason alone that he’d kept the secret from Ben’s mother, though Ben wasn’t blind to the toll the secret took on the family’s loyal butler.

The second rule had been broken on accident, though in all honesty, he should’ve known spinning a prototype TIE-Fighter through the streets of Coruscant while being chased by an army of police cars would result in a great deal of unwanted attention. Especially after his rather showy mock crucifixion down by the docks the night before. And then there were the little souvenirs he’d been leaving behind, the metal daggers in the shape of a jagged crossguard. 

Alright, so _maybe_ becoming a public figure wasn’t _entirely_ accidental. But he needed to be notorious if he was going to scare the lesser criminals off the streets. And he needed to scare away the low hanging fruit if he was ever going to be able to focus on the big boys. 

That left one last rule, easily the most important of the three, and, up until that point, the one he had been most successful at following. 

 _Had been_ being the key phrase, though in truth he’d been slowly inching his way to this breaking point from the moment she placed that godforsaken coffee cup in his hand. There were numerous incidents he could point back to if he really wanted to analyze the depth of his failure. The first had happened nearly a year earlier, in what would become something of a habit for the two of them.

Despite his initial misgivings about the mysterious woman his mother had taken on as her protégée, Rey Niima had almost instantly proven herself to be bright, competent, and by all accounts, completely committed to his mother. In fact, if he could find a fatal flaw it would be that she was perhaps _too_ committed to his mother, to the point where he was fairly certain she almost never went home.

Then again, neither did he. Which was how he’d ended up walking past her office late one night to find her sitting alone in the dark. He hadn’t intended to get involved with her, no matter how persistently his mother contrived to push them together. But there she was, bathed in the blue light of her computer screen, her hair pulled down from its usual bun, humming one of his father’s favorite rock n roll tunes to herself as she scanned over a spreadsheet. 

“You’re here late.”

She'd jumped up in her seat, spinning around with eyes as wide as saucers as she gripped the armrest of her chair like it was life support. “Jesus Solo. There are easier ways to kill me.”

“Sorry.” He’d offered sincerely, crossing his arms as he leaned against her door frame. “I didn’t expect anyone to be here still.”

“Yeah, well.” She fumbled with the hair-tie around her wrist, looking anywhere but at him. “Sorry to disappoint.”

Disappointing wasn’t exactly the word he would use for it. Depressing maybe, distracting for sure. But not disappointing. If there was one thing he’d learned about her since that morning with the coffee, it was that she was _never_ disappointing. 

Rather than admit that to her, he took to looking around her office for the first time, curious to finally get a glimpse inside the world of the enigma that was Rey Niima. 

She didn’t have much by way of decorations. A few small plants sat potted near the window, alongside a page-a-day calendar that appeared to be superhero themed. There was a bookshelf leaning against one wall, stuffed with what appeared to be battered books. He had many a similar bookshelf at home, where he spent what minimal free time he allowed himself pouring over old copies of his favorites. Aside from that, the office was fairly bare. There were only two pictures framed in the whole space. The first was with a man he recognized from the marketing department and a petite asian woman he didn’t know, all three laughing as they draped their arms around each other fondly.

The other was of his mother, smiling brightly beside Rey on the floor, dressed in matching pajamas and surrounded by meticulously wrapped gifts on what could’ve only been Christmas morning. He recognized the familiar tree trimmings immediately, as well as the santa wrapping paper that had once brought a little boy immeasurable joy. It was not the nostalgic decorations that struck him most though. It was the smile on his mother’s face, a joy so profound it was intoxicating. And it was in that moment that he realized, like a punch to the gut, that perhaps she would’ve been better off if he _hadn’t_ come home. 

Ever since he’d come back there’d been tension. A thousand lies both big and small sitting between them. He loved his mother, and he knew she loved him, but that didn’t stop the pain. It didn’t heal the wounds he carved out when he ran away from her, just when they needed each other most. It didn’t bring back a husband that was taken too soon or the brother who was too broken to stay. It certainly didn’t erase the six years that she’d spent alone in this world, burdened by the weight of losing everyone she loved, only to have the living, breathing reminder of that horror turn up with nothing but lies to offer as payment for her suffering. 

But here, in this picture, on this day, she’d been happy. _Truly happy._ She’d been able to move on. And it was all because of Rey. 

“Hey.” A small hand rested lightly on his arm, the attached voice drawing him back from the void he’d stumbled down into. “You alright in there?”

“Yeah.” He swallowed, taking a step back from where he now hovered over her desk. “Sorry, I just… saw your picture.”

“Oh.” Rey looked back at the frame that sat beside her computer. “Yeah. Um. That was last Christmas actually. Before, you were, you know, back and all.”

“Right.” He nodded, still glued to his spot on her floor. 

“Do you want to sit?” She offered, eyes never leaving him as she gestured toward the chair on the other side of her desk.

“Yeah, that’s probably a good idea.”

An awkward silence fell over the room as he squeezed his hips into the tiny chair, neither sure what to say to the other. He was about to break the silence when her mouth fell open, eyes flitting almost guiltily toward the picture frame. 

“That was actually my very first Christmas.”

Ben did a double take, now fully returned from his stupor. “What!?”

“I know, sad right?” Rey shrugged, her eyes falling to her lap. “I don’t know if you knew this or not, but I’m an orphan. Have been as long as I can remember.”

Ben felt sick to his stomach, his own sadness feeling suddenly insignificant in light of this newfound revelation about her past. “I had no idea.”

Rey laughed humorlessly. “That’s good, actually. It’s not something I usually run around telling strangers.”

His heart sank further at the choice of words. They weren’t friends, but they weren’t exactly strangers either. They’d shared enough uncomfortable dinners at his mother’s house to at least warrant the title of acquaintance.

“Your mom about threw a conniption fit when she found out I’d never decorated a Christmas tree.” She chuckled darkly, looking back at the picture with a wistful smile. “She said she hadn’t celebrated since you’d disappeared, but she pulled out all the stops for me. It was the best day of my life.”

In that moment, staring at this vulnerable girl who had just bared her heart to him without cause, whatever repressed resentment he’d held toward the woman fell away. He’d always questioned her motives, assuming she was just another social climber, preying on his mother’s generous nature. But as he looked at her now, sitting there with hunched shoulders, as if she felt undeserving of that single day of unfettered joy, he knew she was anything but. She was lonely, just as his mother must’ve been, and for that one day they were able to fill the void left by those they had lost.

“Thank you.” He whispered, looking back at the photo with newfound appreciation. 

“For what?” Her brow furrowed in confusion, which he found far too adorable considering.

“For being there” He shrugged, suddenly feeling unnervingly vulnerable. “When I wasn’t.”

Rey peaked up at him from behind a strand of hair that had fallen loose in front of her face, and it took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to reach across her desk and tuck it behind her ear.

“You’re here now.” She offered with the hint of a smile, “She’ll be even happier to have _you_ there this Christmas.”

He hadn’t realized how far he’d leaned in, lost in the way her hazel eyes swirled like a bottomless ocean of green and blue, the unmistakable shift in what had otherwise been an antagonistic working relationship hanging heavy as the space between them grew smaller and smaller.

It was his knee clumsily bumping against her desk that broke them both from the daze, snapping her back into her chair like a rubberband.

“I, uh…”

“I should…”

“Right.”

“Yeah.”

They both moved to stand up, and suddenly he was looking down at her again, her bright hazel eyes glowing despite the dim lighting. He ran a hand through his hair, reverting to an old nervous habit he thought he’d broke long ago.

“Thanks for the…uh...”

“Chat?”

“Yes, that. Thanks for that.”

“Yeah, uh, you too.”

Ben turned to go, but not before he bumped into the side of the chair, resulting in a stumble completely unbefitting a man who was supposedly one of the worlds most well-trained mercenaries. She caught his elbow just as he straightened himself back out, and suddenly she was standing much too close, looking up at him with eyes that were far too beautiful and lips that were screaming to be kissed. 

She was the one to step back with a cough, dropping his arm like it shocked her and looking away. 

“Goodnight Ben.”

He knew a dismissal when he heard one, and with one last wistful glance around the office, he’d left, murmuring his reply over his shoulder so he wouldn’t be tempted to turn back. 

“Goodnight Rey.”

That night was the first time he’d come close to breaking the third rule. The way his birth name sounded on her lips was intoxicating, and in another life he might’ve begged her to never call him anything else again. As such, he’d made every effort to avoid her for two weeks afterward, interacting only during shared meetings or with a passing nod in the hallway. But with each passing nod, her smile grew brighter, and in each meeting he found himself staring at her just a bit longer, even getting caught a few times just to see the way her freckles popped out when she blushed. 

He would have happily stared at her all day if he had a choice. But he didn’t. He’d already made that choice. And so, after a few too many nights of falling into bed, beaten and broken and bruised, with dreams of her toned arms wrapped around his aching torso and her chestnut hair tucked comfortably under his chin, he made a deal with himself. 

Rey Niima was off limits, and the best way to ensure that she stayed off limits was to make her hate his guts. It would hurt, nobody more than himself, but it had to be done. And if there was one thing he knew how to do better than anyone else, it was hurt the people closest to him.

And so, with about as much enthusiasm as a cat being chucked into a cold plunge, he initiated operation Billionaire Playboy, and so was born Ben Solo - tabloid star.

At first it was embarrassing, making awkward small talk with whichever model, actress, or heiress he happened to be out with that night. He had never been much of a conversationalist, always preferring his books to the crowds that constantly surrounded him. But after a few too many painfully dull dates, he began to get creative. There was no need to actually talk. None of the woman he toted around were _actually_ interested in him, afterall. They just liked the name and the notoriety and the fame, and so that was what he gave them.

He had enough money to keep anyone occupied for an evening, so after ensuring the paparazzi had nabbed enough pictures to satisfy the local rags, he would whisk whichever woman he was with off to some elaborate private spa, or take them on some expensive vacation, where they could gather enough photos to satisfy their throngs of vulturous followers while he basked in the glory of a seemingly ironclad alibi. 

Through it all, he never once actually stayed with them, and he never saw any of them for more than a night or two. He would engage in the occasional make-out session, usually in front of a window so that a conveniently placed camera might peek a view, but he never took it farther than that. 

The plan seemed to be working too. Rey’d taken to hostilities at work, making snide comments about his love life whenever she could and actively avoiding him as much as possible, which was useful, given the unfortunate fact that her disdain did little to quell his body’s growing frustration whenever she was around. 

Still, outside of the one night of vulnerability they’d shared months before, there was nothing building between them. His physical attraction to her couldn’t be helped, but that did not mean he was in danger of breaking rule #3. It simply meant he was human, and there was nothing he could do about that.

Then, as if he was cursed, he saw her out one night, dressed to the nines in a plunging red dress that hugged her every curve like it was made for her, and so began incident #2. 

She floated into the restaurant on the arm of a man he did not recognize, which immediately set his senses on high alert. He knew everyone in this town, if not personally than by name at least. But not this man. This man was truly a stranger, and an attractive one at that.

His date was a Twi'leki ballerina, in town no more than a few nights as part of a traveling troupe. She was pretty enough, though he could’ve broken her in half with one hand, and she hardly spoke a lick of Basic. He spoke fluent Twi’leki, of course, but his date didn’t need to know that. Instead he butchered his way through, giving her little room to command his full attention, allowing him to keep a close eye on the mysterious foreigner whose hand was creeping dangerously low down Rey’s exposed back as they crossed the room the their table.

“Chewie” He spoke low into the earpiece from behind his menu. “Who is that man over there? Black Armani suit, dark buzz cut and a goatee.”

“Now, you wouldn’t be asking about the gentleman sitting with Miss Niima would you?” The amusement in Chewie’s voice was unmistakable, as was his insinuation. “She looks simply ravishing this evening if I do say so myself.”

Ben’s jaw twitched as he forced himself to look away from the man taking Rey by the hand. “I don’t recognize him.”

“Hmm. Nor do I. Let me see what I can find.”

He set the menu back down as his date began asking the newly returned waitress questions about the evening’s specials, unable to keep his attention off of Rey and the mysterious man whom she was now laughing with. His vision blurred green as his hand clenched around the whiskey glass in his hand, nearly shattering it when the man leaned in closer, his hand moving to brush a loose strand of hair behind Rey’s ear, just as he had longed to do on a night so long ago.

“Mr. Solo?”

Ben’s head whipped up to find both the waitress and his date looking at him expectantly.

“The salmon.” He stated flatly, having no idea if that was even an option on the menu. “If you’ll excuse me.”

He stood, pushed in his chair, squeezed around the shell-shocked waitress, and beelined it for the restrooms on the other side of the restaurant. 

“ _Chewie”_  He grit out between tight lips. “What is taking so long?”

“I apologize Master Solo. It seems Miss Niima’s friend prefers to keep a low profile.”

Ben stalked past the bar, taking the long route to ensure he avoided Rey’s line of sight. “And?”

“His name is Maul Opress. He is a Dathomirian spice trader.”

“What is a Dathomirian spice trader doing in Coruscant?” Ben snapped, turning into a quiet hallway and pulling out his phone.

“Actually, it appears he is town on invitation from your mother. I’ve sent you the file” 

“Why didn’t I know about this?” Ben muttered murderously as he pulled up the encrypted file. “If it’s a business deal, I should’ve been involved. And what is my mother doing meddling in the spice trade? She hates that stuff.”

“Well, that’s the thing.” Chewie continued. “I’m not so sure it is a business deal. At least, not in the traditional sense.”

Ben’s heart stopped as he read through the documents and scanned the images. “Black Sun.” He whispered, dumbstruck. “He’s a member of Black Sun.”

“It would appear so, yes.”

He’d come across the Black Sun syndicate during his training, fighting against their mercenaries for sport. They were ruthless and cunning, but they’d never strayed outside of their own territory. If they were here now, it could only be bad news.

Leaning out from around the wall of his hiding spot, Ben snuck another peek at Rey. Chewie was right, she did look ravishing, especially as she leaned back, coyly taking a sip of her drink while the Opress chump leaned forward and played with her free hand.

Ben hissed, stepping back behind the wall. “What is my mother playing at? Black Sun is as dangerous as the First Order. She’d have to be a fool to bring him here. And to put Rey in this position -”

“She’s heading your way.” Chewie interrupted his diatribe. 

“Wait, what!?”

Sure enough, Ben spun into the hall just in time to slam into an unsuspecting Rey Niima.

“Oh! I’m so sorry!” She stuttered, stepping back flustered. That was until she looked up and saw _him_ standing there, her face immediately turning to stone. “Solo? What are _you_ doing here?” 

“Same as you I imagine.” He replied snidely, gesturing over her shoulder. “Date night?”

Rey huffed, turning back to look over her shoulder anxiously. “I… no… well… it’s… H-he’s a potential business associate, in town for a night or two. I’m merely taking him to dinner.”

Ben’s brow shot up, scanning over her scantily clad figure before cocking his head. “Dressed like that?”

Rey took a step back, scoffing. “What I wear is none of your business.”

He stepped closer, leering above her as her chin was forced up to meet his gaze. “It is when it’s my family’s business partner’s your fraternizing with.”

Rey’s mouth hardened into a firm line, her eyes blazing with anger. God she was breathtaking.  

“It has nothing to do with you Solo. So stay in your lane.” She stormed past him, throwing herself into the ladies room as he spun around, mouth agape.

“Sometimes it astounds me how much you’re like your father.” Chewie’s voice echoed in his earpiece.

“Laugh it up.” Ben snapped in reply. “But she’s not leaving with him.”

“Wait, now Ben, hold on…” Reaching up to his ear, Ben removed the tiny earpiece, tucking it into his pocket as he stormed back to his table. 

“Eees everytheeng ahlright? The Twi’leki girl purred in her thick accent as he all but threw himself down into his chair. 

“Everything’s fine.” He replied stiffly, reaching for his whiskey and downing it in one go. The poor girl looked genuinely concerned, so, in a move his mother would’ve been proud of, he leaned forward and took her hand in his, kissing her fingers lightly. “Just a work thing. I apologize for leaving so abruptly.”

She smiled in return and took a sip of her own drink as he caught sight of Rey returning to her own table from the corner of his eye. 

Their food arrived quickly thereafter, and Ben forced himself to eat, dragging out the miserable meal long enough for Rey and Opress to finish their own. Their waitress arrived with the bill just as the man helped her up from her seat, offering his arm to her, all while brushing his lips against her ear, whispering something that made her blush. 

He managed to keep his eyes from glaring daggers at the two of them, instead taking his dates hand and massaging it gently. The moment they were out of sight, he dropped the facade, signing the bill and rising from his seat. 

“Zank you fahr ze lahvely meal.” The girl said, rising with him. “Shahll we, how you say…”

“I’m sorry.” Ben cut her off abruptly, “J'ai quelque je dois m'occuper. Allow me to get you back to your hotel.”

The woman stepped back from him as if he’d slapped her, scoffing with disdain at the realiation that he could, in fact, speak to her in her own language quite fluently. “Aller se faire cuire un œuf!” 

Then she stormed off, not even bothering to take him up on his offer to chauffeur her home. 

Ben sighed, running his hand through his hair, until he noted every eye in the room suddenly watching him. “Shit.” He muttered under his breath, turning and heading out of the restaurant. He couldn’t worry about that woman right now, or the scene they’d undoubtedly just made. This distraction had allowed the man to get away with Rey, and every minute that passed was a minute more that he wouldn’t have eyes on the man.

Bypassing the valet, he turned down the street and into the nearest alley way, shedding his suit jacket as he pressed down on the cufflink. He’d grown accustomed to wearing the black bodysuit beneath his clothes, particularly when out at night, never certain when he might need it. His mask was less easy to carry, and so, after waiting impatiently for a few minutes too long, his TIE Bike rolled to a stop in front of him, popping out his mask and armor. He slid it on effortlessly and jumped on the bike, before spinning out of the alleyway and down the street. 

“Master Solo?” Chewie’s flustered voice came back through the earpiece of his mask. “What was that about!?”

“No time Chewie.” He ground out. “Where are they?”

“She got in a car with him. I’ve zoned in on the plates. They appear to be heading back to the Grand Marquee Hotel.”

“Excellent. Thank you Chewie.”

“Of course sir. But I’m really not sure you should…” 

“That’ll be all Chewie.” He replied, silencing the man once again. He didn’t care if he shouldn’t go after her. Chewie didn’t know Black Sun like he did, and he’d be damned if he was going to knowingly let her walk into the snake pit. 

He arrived near the hotel just in time to see Maul help Rey out of the limo, surrounded by a curious number of oversized body guards. He spun the bike into the nearest dark alleyway, and jumped off, immediately pressing down on the control panel on his forearm, activating the amplifier he’d managed to snag from Lando’s applied sciences fortress in the basement of Skywalker Tower. 

It was a brilliant piece of technology, allowing him to hear through brick walls with relative ease. Of course, having to filter through all of the voices in the luxury hotel gave one an instant headache. But as soon as he zoned in on her recognizable accent, he was able to focus entirely on her, blotting out the rest of the noise. 

 _“I hope you find the accommodations up to your taste.”_  

 _“Oh, yes. We are very grateful for Ms. Organa’s_ generous _hospitality.”_

_“I’m happy to hear it.”_

She sounded nervous. He could tell, even as her voice grew more distant as they rose higher and higher. They were in the elevator, which meant that she was going to his room, which meant that she would be alone with him, something she did not seem eager to be, if the the subtle tremor of her voice was anything to go by. 

With a running start, Ben punched the release on his belt, letting the wire soar up to the roof of the nearby building, propelling him upward. He scaled along the edge of the building, leaping from one rooftop to the next until he reached the point where he would need to scale the edge of the hotel. 

A door clicked shut in his earpiece, and he knew they must’ve arrived at their destination.

Ben leapt up the wall, landing with a thud atop the hotel and hooked himself into a sturdy grip before immediately cascading down the side of the building, pressing himself against the wall beside the window of the penthouse suite. 

_“This is very beautiful.”_

_“Hmm. Not as beautiful as you are, my dear.”_

_“Oh, I…”_

_“Come here darling, let me get a better look at you.”_

_“I’m sorry Mr. Opress, but I’m afraid you’ve misinterpreted my intentions.”_

_“Have I? Well, that’s a shame. I was so hoping you would come easily.”_

_“Come… I… What are you saying? Wait!”_

Not willing to wait another second to intervene, Ben pushed himself off the wall and spun, kicking out the glass and releasing the wire as he landed with thud inside the master suite. 

“Get your hands off her.” He seethed through the voice modulator, his vision tunneling in on Rey, who was pulled tight against Maul’s chest, a gun pressed to her skull. 

Maul smiled devilishly. “Ah, the notorious Kylo Ren. I was hoping you’d grace us with an appearance. So _good_ to see you again.”

Ben stiffened. Did he know this man?

“Don’t recognize me?” Maul smirked, cocking the gun against her head. “Shame, after what you did to my brother. I was always told we looked alike, and I would think it would be hard to forget a man you mutilated so brutally.”

His brain snapped to instantly, the image of a man falling from atop a burning building, amber eyes not unlike the ones glaring at him now.

“Let the girl go.” He pushed again.

“No, I don’t think so.” Maul shook his head, brushing Rey’s hair back with the edge of his gun. “She’s a gift, you see. Oh, did your precious Leia Organa not tell you? Pity. I do require payment for my services afterall. Snoke offered quite a lot, but when I saw you… Well, let’s just say your boss drives a hard bargain.”

Rey pulled against his arm, but he just pressed the gun in harder. “Ah ah ah. You’re not going anywhere my dear. You’re _mine._ ”

Ben bared his teeth inside his mask, launching himself forward just as the doors flew open and four armed men rushed in. He ducked the gunfire and then threw an elbow into the nearest assailant, disarming him and flipping him over his shoulder into the next man, whose gun went off and took down another man from across the room. He spun down low, kicking the feet out from beneath the last man, grabbing the end of his gun and knocking it back into his nose, breaking it instantly.

Having made quick work of Maul’s guards, he stood and turned back, only to find Rey perched on the edge of the window, eyes wide with fear while Maul’s hand covered her mouth. 

“My my.” Opress taunted, pushing her further to the edge. “It seems you’ve gotten better since the last time I saw you. No matter. You took someone important to me. Now allow me to return the favor.” 

Rey let out a strangled scream as he pushed her from the window, and without so much as a second thought, Ben sprinted across the room and threw himself out the window after her. 

Her screams filled the air as he plunged himself into a diving position, wrapping his arm around her waist and releasing his last wire into the air, managing to yank them to a stop mere feet above the cement below. 

Her breath came heavy as she clung to him, his arms wrapped tightly around her.

“Are you alright?” He breathed, though the sound was far more intimidating from behind the raspy modulator. 

“Y-yes, I, I’m fine… W-who are you? How did you know....?”

He pulled them straight and let go of the release, dropping them the rest of the way to the ground as he caught her in his arms. 

“Did you know who he was? Who he works for?”

“I… Of course I did.” She  was still breathless when he set her down, pushing away from him and straightening her dress. “I’m not an idiot.”

He gestured up to the window they’d just fallen from. “Your choice of company suggests otherwise.”

Rey scoffed. “You didn’t answer my question.”

Ben quirked his head at her. “Nor will I.”

Rey stepped closer, looking him up and down curiously. “You do realize that you had no business getting involved.”

“I just saved your life.”

“I was doing just fine before you stepped in-”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah!”

“A simple ‘thank you’ would suffice, you know.”

“Oh as if.” She crossed her arms, stepping back from him. 

They stared each other down, both breathing hard, the tension thick in the air. Then she turned, pushing him out of the way and storming down the alley.

“Let me get you home, at least.” He called after her. 

“No.”

“Rey…” 

She froze in her tracks, turning slowly. “How do you know my name?”

_Shit._

“I… Uh… know the names of all the important people in this city.”

She stepped closer, her brow quirked up in suspicion. “I’m quite certain that I do not classify as an important person.”

“You work for Leia Organa.” He tried.

“A lot of people work for Leia Organa.” She pressed, inching closer.

“Yes, well, not a lot of people work for her directly.” 

Rey stopped barely an inch away, taking him in curiously as she reached up to run her hand across his chest. “Alright, If that’s how it’s going to be, we’ll try this again. Seeing how you know so much about me, I think it’s only fair that I know something about you. I’d like to properly thank the man who just saved my life, afterall.”

Ben stiffened. She was so close, her perfume as intoxicating as the red that painted her lips. And she was rubbing up against him, so close…

He gripped her wrist as her fingers snuck upward, mere inches away from the release on his mask.

“Nice try, sweetheart.” He lowered her hand to her side before reaching down below her knees and lifting her into a bridal carry. 

“Hey! Put me down!”

He carried her to the edge of the alleyway and stuck out his arm for a taxi, all while enduring her punches to the chest. A car skidded to a halt a few minutes later, and he popped the door open with his foot, depositing her inside as the young taxi driver rolled down the window, his mouth agape.

“You’re Kylo Ren!”

Ben ignored him, reaching across a squirming Rey to buckle her seat belt. 

“This is incredible!” The kid continued, awestruck. “Can I get your autograph?”

“You can get her home in one piece.” He stood back and slammed the door, ignoring Rey’s protests. “No stops. I don’t care what she offers you. Do you understand me?”

“Yes sir, Mr. Ren, sir. She’ll be safe with me, promise.”

“Good.” He turned then, looking back to find Rey’s arms crossed, a pout sitting adorably on her lips. He smirked to himself as he stood back from the window and slammed a hand on the hood of the car. 

The second the taxi skidded back into the street, the anger hit. It took him a moment to pull himself back together, slugging his way back down the alley toward his bike. The sound of a man’s yells was still audible from the penthouse above, and he was tempted to go back and finish the job. He hadn’t killed a man in many years now. It wasn’t something he ever wanted to return to intentionally. 

But what this man had done to Rey… that was unforgivable. His whole body shook with barely restrained rage. If he went up there now, he would kill him. He knew that. And he couldn’t sink that low, not for her, not for anyone. 

And so, with a resigned sigh, he’d sunk down on his bike and zoomed away, letting the cool night air wash away his fury, both at Maul Opress and at himself. 

Rey had rolled into work the next morning as if nothing had happened, which had him questioning just how often she got herself into life-threatening situations in the first place. It was none of his business what she did in her free time, and he certainly couldn’t get distracted keeping track of her when there were actual criminals that needed to be dealt with. 

Sure, he might’ve asked Chewie to make sure she didn’t run off on any other dates with foreign crime lords, but that was reasonable enough. If something happened to her, he’d have to pick up a lot of the slack at work, and lord knew he didn’t have the time for that.

And if Maul Opress happened to meet his untimely demise at the hands of a rival spice cartel, well, it certainly had nothing to do with the information Chewie had provided via secure feed. And even if it did, he was keeping his city safe. They had their hands full enough with the First Order. There was no room for foreign threats in the mix. 

It was all perfectly explainable, and with those loose ends tied up, things had settled back into a sense of normalcy. He spent his days in the office, his evenings keeping the tabloids happy, and his nights on the streets, chasing after the Scavenger and leaving gifts for Cassian Andor on the front stoop of the police department whenever possible. Everything was finally going to plan. So of course, he shouldn’t have been surprised when his ever meddling mother went and threw a wrench into everything.

“What do you two know about the Hapes Consortium?” His mother had asked, standing with her hands folded behind her desk as he and Rey sat beside each other on the other side.

“They’re a think tank, are they not? Funded by the fortune left behind by the Hapes gemstone monopoly.” Rey piped in immediately. 

“Yes, Rey, they are.”

Ben shot her a glare the second his mother looked away, which she responded to with a maniacal wink.

“Unfortunately,” Leia continued grimly, “That gemstone fortune is about to dry up, and they are looking for a potential buyer.”

Ben leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms and bringing his ankle to rest atop his knee. “And you’d like for Skywalker Industries to be said buyer.”

“I would.”

“Are you sure that’s a wise move?” Rey asked. “After the quarter we’ve just had, I highly doubt the board will be willing to consider an acquisition. Especially one of this size.”

Leia sighed, reaching for her chair and pulling it out to sit down. “You’re right Rey. Which is why we need to come up with a proposal discreetly.”

Ben cocked his head. “Without letting the board know?

“Ideally, yes.”

Silence filled the room as both he and Rey mulled over his mother’s rather strange proposition.

Finally, Rey broke the silence. “Can I ask why?”

“You can.” Leia nodded, knitting her hands together. “The Hapes Consortium is not your average think tank. Their research is quite advanced, and I have some concerns about the ramifications of some of their more, shall we say... _sensitive_ discoveries falling into the wrong hands.”

“And we’re the right hands?” Ben questioned.

Both Rey and Leia turned to level him with a glare.

“If it is between us and hostile foreign government, then yes, I’d say we would be the preferable hands. Wouldn’t you?”

Ben shrugged, which was as close to agreement as he was willing to give.

“So, with that said, I’m asking the two of you to take this on.”

“Us?” Rey questioned, turning to look at him as if he’d just bit her. “As in, me and Ben?”

“Seeing as you’re the only two people sitting in my office, I’d have to say yes.”

Rey looked at his mother, then to him, then back to his mother, all the while looking like she was being asked to swallow a gigantic bug. “Leia, I’m really not sure if this is a good idea.”

“And why not?” Leia questioned. “It’s a great opportunity, from both a career perspective, as well as for our business. The two of you have access to all of Skywalker Industries financial information, which outside of this office only the board has seen otherwise, and you are the only two people I trust to see this through.”

Rey turned to look at Ben, scrunching her nose as if she smelled something foul, and then turned back to Leia. “It’s just, Ben and I don’t exactly work well together…”

“Don’t get too worked up, Sweetheart.” Ben teased, stretching his shoulders with a smirk. “You might bust a blood vessel before you even have a chance to put together one of those famous spreadsheets of yours.”

Rey turned back to him with murder in her eyes. “I’ll have you know that those _spreadsheets_ have completely revolutionized the operational efficiency of the -”

“They’ve made the entire accounting team want to pry their eyes out of their sockets is what they’ve done.”

“Oh and how would you know anyway, you stuck-up, half-witted, scruffy looking -”

“Both of you, stop it!” Leia snapped, leaning back and crossing her arms. “This is important. I wouldn’t be asking it of you if it wasn’t. So if you could _please_ cut the bullshit for two minutes and listen to me.”

His mother almost never swore, so hearing her do so shut them both up immediately.

“Whether you want to believe it or not, the two of you are the best I’ve got. And you work well together - don’t give me that look Rey. You _do_ work well together when you _try_ to. I don’t know what suddenly changed these last few months, but whatever has you two down each others throats needs to end. _Now_.”

He turned to look at Rey, who sat back in her chair with a huff. 

“Fine.” He said simply, turning back to his mother. 

“Rey?” Leia prompted.

“Fine.” She replied petulantly, “But he has to promise not to insult my spreadsheets.”

“Oh come on.” he groaned.

“Shut it!” Leia snapped, raising a finger at him like he father used to. “I don’t want to hear it. Rey’s spreadsheets _are_ wonderful. Deal with it.”

Ben rolled his eyes at the prideful smile Rey sent his way. 

“I’ll have the portfolios delivered to your offices tomorrow morning.” Leia stood, signalling the end of the meeting. “This is going to take a lot of work, and I’m afraid you will not be able to farm out anything to any other departments. If you need anything, come to me. I don’t want the board catching a whiff of anything until they absolutely have to.”

They both nodded and followed her lead in standing. “Thank you. Both of you. I know its a lot to ask.”

And it was. Oh, it was. 

The portfolio was enormous, and what lay inside it quickly revealed his mother’s desire for discretion. The research and development completed by the Hapes Consortium was astounding, far surpassing even the most advanced technology being worked on at Skywalker Industries. The problem, which he was certain was the cause for his mother’s concern, was that most of the work, however innocent the design, could easily be weaponized if placed in the wrong hands. 

And then there was the issue of working with Rey. Both were too busy to get much work done during regular business hours, not to mention the suspicion that would arise if the two of them were seen working together cordially in any capacity. This left them both to work late into the evening, stunting his social endeavours, though in all honesty that was more of a relief than an annoyance.

The fact was, Rey was the primary reason he suffered through the madness in the first place, and now he was sitting in his office late into the night, knowing she sat just down the hall, refusing to be the first to cross the line and call a truce. 

But gods how he wanted to. He was desperate to talk to somebody, anybody, about what he found in the pages of the Hapes Consortium portfolio. There was so much they could do, so many people they could help. She _had_ to be feeling the same way. For all their disagreements, he knew deep down they shared far more common interests than either consciously let on. There hadn’t been a single meeting that he could recall where one of her ideas hadn’t stunned him with its insight. Even those he’d openly scoffed at had secretly impressed him, his desire to watch her mind churn with impassioned justification overruling all sense. 

She was a force to be reckoned with, in more ways than one, and if he could come up with a million ways to put the Hapes Consortium research to good use, he could only imagine the ideas she’d come up with. 

Then, about two weeks into their standoff, the steel wall they’d put up finally came crumbling down. He was sitting in his office, the sun long since set, clicking his pen repeatedly when Rey came rushing in.

“Section 27.E” She stated breathlessly.

He looked up to find her hair pulled into a messy bun, her button-up shirt pulled out from the torturous pencil skirt she was wearing and her feet bare. She was a vision, even in her disheveled state, and it took all his will-power not to stand up and pull her into his arms on the spot. 

Instead, he watched as she shook the paper in her hand and nearly threw herself into the chair across from him, shaking with giddiness. 

“Please tell me you’ve read Section 27.E.”

Ben shook himself from his shocked daze and reached for his stack of papers, flipping to section 27.E in a flurry. He had read section 27.E, as it turned out. And he knew immediately why she’d crossed their unspoken battle lines in a flurry of excitement.

“I have.” He nodded, turning back to her. 

Her whole body shook as she jumped to the edge of her seat and reached across the desk to show him whatever it was she was so excited about. 

“Do you have any idea what we could do with a machine like this?”

“Well, my first thought was providing a sustainable source of clean water to desert regions, but I can imagine that the potential uses go far beyond that.”

“Yes!” She replied giddily. “And what about the research on cell regeneration?”

Ben leaned forward and flipped open his own notes to show her what he’d come up with. “It’ll revolutionize cancer research, not to mention what it could mean for amputees.”

”This is huge, Ben. Absolutely huge.”

Ben’s eyes shot up to look at her. She never called him Ben outside the presence of his mother, and even then it was said with disdain. But now she was sitting in his office, nearly bouncing out of her seat with genuine excitement, using his birth name like it was the most natural thing in the world. 

He couldn’t help the smile that bloomed on his own face, nodding as he turned back to look at her notes. 

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to see your spreadsheet.”

From then on, the official battle lines ceased to exist, and staying late at the office to work on the proposal became common practice. He’d memorized her dinner order at no less than six nearby restaurants, learned that she kept a pair of sweatpants and an old Captain Marvel  t-shirt in her office to change into if she stayed too late to go home, and that her mind did it’s best work when she was pacing. They still argued constantly, but he’d also managed to elicit a rare smile, and on even rarer occasions, a genuine laugh. It was like a drug, her laugh, and the more he experienced it, the more he craved. 

Yet he knew better than to believe she felt similarly about him. She loathed him. He felt it in the way she tensed every time they were in the same room, or the way she almost always refused to meet his eyes, only to burn a hole in his soul with fiery indignation every time she actually did. It seemed that the only time they got along was when they were scanning over the portfolio, debating all the ways they could use the research for the greater good. The second that mutual interest went out the window, all bets were off. 

They railed against each other more fervently than ever by day, arguing like it was their primary job description. She called him names, he threw petty insults. Poe called him out for it regularly, particularly after a nasty jab in front of the marketing team that had her storming out red-faced and furious, her friend Finn tailing behind her with an expression that screamed of genuine concern. 

“What are you playing at Ben?” Poe’d pressed over a beer one night. “I know for a fact that you think she’s good at her job.”

”Of course she is.” He’d grumbled, throwing back his beer.

“Then why do you treat her like that?”

“It builds character.”

Poe had eyed him with suspicion. “Or does it ensure you can keep her at arms length?”

Ben had glared at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Poe shook his head, finishing his own beer and setting it down dramatically. “Sure you don’t Solo. Sure you don’t.”

Then the moment of reckoning came. 

They’d been sitting in her office in a rare moment of peaceful silence, him pouring over the finances while she pieced together their PowerPoint presentation, when the familiar cross-guard symbol lit up in the night sky behind her. 

His eyes had shot upward and his stomach sank. He’d never ignored Cassian Andor’s call, not once. He needed to come up with an excuse to leave, and fast.

“Hmph.” Rey grumbled, drawing his eyes to her and realizing that she too had noticed the symbol lighting up the night sky. “Looks like Kylo Ren is in for a more interesting night than we are.”

There was a hint of envy in her tone, and he tilted his head as he looked back on her.

“You say that like you envy him.”

She shrugged. “Maybe I do.”

"Really?” He leaned forward. “That’s surprising. You’ve always struck me as someone who would hate his brand of vigilante justice.”

Rey looked up, meeting his eyes as she leaned back in her chair. “I never said I approve of what he’s doing. Just that it’s exciting.”

Sensing an opportunity that he doubted he’d ever have again, he pressed on. “I think it’s all a front. Just some photoshopped symbol made up by the police department to inspire fear.”

Rey crossed her arms, turning to look out her window. “I might’ve agreed with you if I hadn’t met him myself.”

Ben forced himself to withhold his smirk. “Oh?”

Rey turned back around and reached for a stack of papers, refusing to meet his eyes. 

“Getting yourself into trouble in your free time Niima?”

“No.” She shot back defensively, “It was… I just…”

Ben raised his eyebrow, egging her on. “Just what?”

Rey huffed. “He rescued me from a bad situation once, is all.”

“Oh really?” Ben continued, desperate to know her true thoughts. “And what was he really like, this masked hero? The stories make him out to be some kind of god. Like he has an eight pack or something.”

Rey shut her eyes, dropping the facade of working. “He _was_ strong.” She shook her head, seemingly in disbelief that she was having this conversation. “He was quite impressive, if I’m being honest.” Ben tried his hardest not to smile as she continued on. “The strangest thing, though, was that he knew my name.”

Ben feigned shock. “He did?”

“Yeah, it was almost as if...” She turned away again, lost in thought. “Never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

“It kinda sounds like it _does_ matter.” Ben leaned forward. 

Rey scoffed. “Did you not just say you thought he was fake?”

Ben shrugged. “And now I know he’s not.”

Rey shook her head, looking back out at the symbol somewhat longingly. Finally, she sighed. “It must be lonely.”

Ben froze. “Lonely?” 

“Yeah. I mean, I won’t pretend to know his motives. But I can’t imagine it’s easy, having to keep a secret like that. What if he has a family, you know? How terrifying it must be to know they’d be in danger if he was ever discovered.”

Ben sat back, watching her carefully. “You thought a lot about it, have you?”

Rey looked back, shrugging sadly. “I can just imagine, is all.”

Ben dragged his eyes away from her, staring out at the cross-guard symbol he’d created for himself. Rey had met his alter-ego one time and she’d seen right through him immediately. What she must see in him now… well, it terrified him.

“It’s late.”She said finally, “You should go home. Or, you know, wherever it is you would otherwise be.”

He was startled by her frankness, but here she was, giving him a perfect opportunity to leave without needing a flimsy excuse. But as he looked at her, her eyes drawn down and thoughtful, he made a choice.

“No, that’s okay.”

She looked up at him suspiciously. “What?”

He took a long look at the cross-guard over her shoulder, then met her eyes once more. They were the most beautiful shade of hazel, sitting prettily on either side of her beautiful nose, which sat just above her mouth that housed teeth which, when prompted correctly, spun into the most beautiful smile he’d ever seen. 

The choice was an easy one. Too easy, really. But it was one he knew deep down he would always make where she was involved. 

“You’re my partner, Rey.” He replied simply. “If you’re staying, I’m staying.”

And he did stay. He stayed until long after the light faded from the sky. He stayed until they finished the financial report, and then he walked her down to the street and hailed her a cab, insisting it was too late for her to take the subway alone.

Then he dragged himself home and threw himself into the elevator, where he stood now, staring at the piece of paper that screamed FAILURE in bold, black letters. 

When the elevator came to a halt and the doors opened, he looked up to find Chewie sitting at the computer station, eyeing him up knowingly. 

He ripped the paper from the elevator wall with a growl and crumpled it in his hand. It was too late to undo the damage he’d done to his own heart. She’d burrowed her way in, and there was no digging her out now. But he’d be damned if he let anything happen to Rey because he was too weak to keep himself away. 

She wasn’t his family. She wasn’t even his friend, really. And she had to stay that way, for even when she had never seen Kylo Ren before, Maul Opress had known immediately that she mattered enough to use against him. And _that_ he could not allow. He could be lonely for the rest of his life if it meant keeping those that mattered to him safe. That was the price he would always have to pay. 

And so, with the newfound determination of a man damned, he made one final rule for himself. He didn’t bother to write it down, or post it in an elevator like a string tied around his pinky finger. He didn’t need to. Breaking this rule would destroy him, so much so that it was already tattooed on his mind, his heart, his very soul. 

Rule #4: Protect her. No matter the cost.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this 9,000+ word ode to Ben Solo's infatuation with Rey Niima. 
> 
> Next time on APBoJ, we return to our regularly scheduled plot...


	7. All My Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> You're Somebody Else - flora cash  
> All My Friends - The Revivalists

Ben was late, which, while irritating, might not normally be cause for concern for anyone else. But Ben was _never_ late. It was one of the things Poe appreciated most about him. For while Poe was many things, patient was definitely not one of them.

And Ben knew that. So the fact that he was late was all the more troubling, or irritating, depending on your point of view. 

Poe Dameron and Ben Solo had been friends since birth if their mother’s were to be believed, though more often than not it felt like they were less friends and more like begrudging cousins. Shara Dameron and Leia Organa-Solo had been thick as thieves, and Kes and Han were no better. So, when they both fell pregnant and gave birth to sons within a few months of each other, it was only to be expected that those sons would be forced to spend an egregious amount of time together. It must’ve been a disappointment to all their parents when their precious boys had next to nothing in common. 

Where Poe was loud and adventurous, Ben was quiet and thoughtful. They were both society babies, shared a common interest in planes, and had learned three languages by the time they could shit by themselves, but the commonalities more or less stopped there. 

By the time they reached school age, Leia and Shara had resigned themselves to the fact that Ben and Poe were destined to be little more than begrudging family friends and had stopped pushing the matter. They went their separate ways at school, Poe’s friends mocking Ben and his more bookish brood while the “nerds” glared and plotted their revenge in some quiet corner. It reached a point where the two one time playmates had become something akin to mortal enemies by the end of the first grade. 

Which was why, when tragedy struck a few years later, no one was more surprised than Poe to find Ben standing beside him, offering an ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. 

In her death, Shara Dameron finally got her wish, and the two had been like brothers ever since.

But even brothers had secrets, and Ben it seemed, had more than most. 

If Han’s murder had been the dagger to the heart, it was Ben’s disappearance that had been the final, fatal twist. Poe had been in his second year of business school at the time, and he’d finished at his father’s insistence. But rather than taking up Leia’s generous offer to begin work at Skywalker Industries, he’d run off and joined the Air Force, determined to make good on he and Ben’s shared dream of becoming pilots. 

He thrived in the Air Force, becoming an ace pilot and an expert shot. But after three years in Special Tactics, a mountain biking accident sent him home on medical discharge. Devastated, he’d returned to Coruscant a lost soul with an excess of pent up rage. It was in that rage where Leia found him once again, offering him a chance to use his energy and skills to make a difference. And so, much to his father’s pleasure, he joined Skywalker Industries, and alongside Leia, built the Resistance from the ground up. 

So when Ben Solo decided to raise himself up from the grave, Poe immediately jumped on the idea of bringing him into the fold. Then Leia stepped in, shooting down his plans on the spot. He was in no position to argue, of course. She’d lost her son once, and who was he to blame her if she didn’t want to take the risk again.

Still, he wanted to be there. He wanted to welcome Ben home with open arms and an open mind. Ben had been there for him when he’d lost a parent. He’d allowed him to deal with in his own time and in his own way. Now it was Poe’s turn to return the favor. 

Then he’d actually seen Ben. 

The boy who’d disappeared six years earlier and the man who returned were as much the same as those two little boys had been. He was shrouded in mystery that he would not expel even to his mother, but that was hardly the most striking difference. Suddenly the once quiet, broodish teen was flinging woman around like pancakes and stepping into board meetings with a confidence Poe had never seen in him before. It was fun to be sure, but it was strange. And the fact remained that Ben’s story about where he’d been for those six years was about as flimsy as his so-called “relationships”. 

But the Ben Solo Poe knew was still in there. He saw glimpses of it regularly, even when the newspapers and tabloids painted a different picture. And Poe was determined to crack him, one way or another. 

Which was why, partially at the last-minute behest of Leia and partially because he genuinely cared, Poe had holed himself up at he and Ben’s favorite Irish pub, nursing a beer at the bar while waiting for his brooding best friend to show up. 

The bell on the door rang just as Poe finished his second pint, and a hooded, unsuspecting Ben Solo slumped onto the bar stool beside him. 

“Well look who the cat dragged in.” Poe remarked, throwing up two fingers at the bartender. 

“Sorry.” He mumbled, “I got caught up in something.”

Poe turned to Ben, throwing his elbow up on the bar. “What could possibly be more important than having a beer with your best friend?’

Ben ran his hand down his face. “A great many things I’d imagine.”

Poe scoffed mockingly. “Well, consider me offended. Also,” Poe looked down at his watch, “20 minutes of my time is worth, oh, I don’t know, at least three rounds. So I hope whatever has you all wound up can wait, because I’m not taking anymore IOU’s.”

Ben pulled out his wallet and threw a sleek black card down on the bar just as the bartender returned with two pints. “These are on me.” He said flatly.

The bartender looked at the card and did a double take once he noticed the name, looking up at the man behind the hood with an expression of disbelief. Luckily, he recovered quickly, replying “Sure thing” before walking away.

Poe watched the man over the edge of his glass to ensure he was out of earshot and then he leaned in. “So, your mother tells me you’re refusing to go to Canto Bight.”

Ben groaned. “Please tell me you didn’t drag me out here in the middle of the week for this.”

“Of course not.” Poe scoffed. “I genuinely wanted to see you.”

Ben shot him a disbelieving glare.

“Alright, so I _also_ genuinely wanted to see you.”

“Yeah, sure.” Ben picked up his pint and threw back half of it in one gulp.

“Seriously Ben, what’s up? I know there is a lot going on, and I’m as rattled about Jyn Erso’s death as anybody, but you and Rey have been working like mad people on whatever it is you’ve been up to. And I’ll admit, it hurts that I’m not allowed to know about this secret project of yours, but that only makes me more certain that you should probably be the one to - ”

Ben leaned back, straightening in his seat. “I don’t know what my mother told you, but I _am_ going.”

“Wait, you are?”

“Yes.” Ben turned, leveling his dark eyes upon him. “Though you can tell her that I’m not happy about it.”

Poe couldn’t help but laugh. “When are you ever happy about anything, Solo?”

Ben shrugged in agreement and took another drink. 

“Well good.” Poe smiled. “I didn’t want to talk about work anyway.”

Ben side-eyed him. “Then what _did_ you want to talk about?”

Poe sat back, a smug smile brightening his chiseled features. “Since you asked, I’d love to know what’s going on with your love life.”

Ben groaned. “Oh no. No, no, no.”

“Oh yes.” Poe leaned in, smacking Ben’s hand down, his smile as wide as a cheshire cat. “You’re not getting out of this one brother.”

“If you want to know about my love life, then just go grab one of the rags over there.” Ben sneered.

“Please.” Poe snorted. “I don’t read that garbage - no really, I don’t. And I want to hear it from you. I see you everyday at work Benny. And I have _eyes_. Those girls? They’re a distraction.”

“Yeah.” Ben admitted, “So?”

Poe set his elbow against the bar, leaning his cheek into his fist. “Look, I’m all for having a little fun in your spare time, but I know you man, and this playboy thing you’re doing? It isn’t you.”

“How do you know?” Ben growled, finishing his beer and gesturing for another. “Maybe I’m enjoying playing the field.”

Poe laughed. “You and I both know that’s bullshit.”

“Is it?” Ben bit, nearly ripping the new beer out of the bartender’s hand as he approached.

“Yeah, man. It is. Whether you like to admit it or not, you’re as loyal as a dog. Not to mention that you’re wound up like a top. It doesn’t take an genius to know you’re not getting laid.” 

Ben hunched over his drink. “Maybe I just haven’t met the right girl yet.”

Poe rolled his eyes. He’d met the right girl alright. He was just too stubborn to do anything about it.

“You know,” Poe leaned in closer, his tone no longer mocking. “Rey isn’t seeing anyone right now…”

Ben nearly spit out his beer. “What the hell does Rey have to do with anything?”

Poe just stared at him, brows raised accusingly. 

Ben turned away, shaking his head insistently as he downed his beer. 

“Look man,” Poe pressed, “Anyone with eyes and the remotest aptitude for emotional intelligence could tell that you’re mad for her. So what the hell are you doing with flouncing around with all these other girls?”

“You’ve lost your mind.” Ben insisted, leaning over the bar and grabbing for the dispenser to refill his own glass.

“Have I?” Poe questioned, grabbing Ben’s shoulder and pushing him back down into his seat. “Or have _you_?”

Ben’s mouth hardened into a harsh line, his fingers tapping impatiently on the hardwood bar top. “Rey and I work together. That’s it.”

“But does that have to be it?”

Ben turned on him. “Yes, Poe, it does. She’s like the daughter my mother always wanted. I can’t get involved in that. So drop it.”

Ben turned back and caught the bartender’s attention, demanding whiskey shots as a replacement for beer. Poe took the time to study his friend, noting the dark circles under his eyes, the sadness that sat as a permanent fixture within them. Ben wasn’t doing well. That much was abundantly clear. He could fake his way through in front of everyone else, but Poe had seen enough to know better. He was lost, he was hurting, and he refused to let anyone in. 

Ben turned back, two shots in his hands, and nearly slammed the one down in front of Poe. 

“Rey and I are going to go to Canto Bight and we are going to crush this deal because that is our job.” He said with a certainty that did not meet his eyes. “And you are going to keep my mother out of harm’s way while we do it.”

Poe took the shot glass, clinked it against Ben’s own and then they both threw back the burning fire water. 

“If something happens to her,” Poe promised as they slammed the glasses down, “you can skin me yourself.”

Ben stood up then, waited for the bartender to return with his bill and card a moment later, and signed the check a little too aggressively before turning back and looking Poe dead in the eyes.

“I’m holding you to that Dameron.” He said simply, though his eyes swirled with fear and uncertainty. 

And as he watched Ben Solo walk out of the bar, shoulders hunched so as to make himself smaller, he couldn’t help but wonder if he’d ever have the chance to see his friend happy again. 

____________________________

Finn huffed, rubbing his forearms as he watched in awe while Rey traversed the V12 bouldering route with the ease of a seasoned pro. 

“God woman. You are insane.” 

Rey dropped down from the top of the wall gracefully, turning back to him with a smile. 

“Practice, my friend. It’s all about practice.”

She walked over to his spot on the ground, reaching into her chalk bag and brushing her hands together. 

“I’ve been coming to this climbing gym with you for six months, Rey.” Finn shook his head in defeat. “If I’m not good yet, I’m never going to be.”

“Not with that attitude, you won’t.” she teased, punching his shoulder playfully.  

She walked past him, pulling on her harness and heading for the auto-belay in the corner just as his phone buzzed in his pocket. 

He read the text from Poe and looked up to find her already halfway up the hardest route in the gym. 

“Hey Spider Monkey!” He called up after her, “Good news!”

She looked down with an expression of curiosity. 

“Poe says Solo’s in.”

Rey turned back and continued her climb. “That was fast.”

“Yeah.” Finn agreed, reading the next incoming message. “Sounds like Poe didn’t even have to do any convincing. He’d already made up his mind by the time he rolled into the bar.” 

Rey reached the top and pushed herself down, landing gently on her feet and turning back to face him. 

“Well good. I really didn’t feel like having to kidnap his stubborn ass.”

Finn smirked. “And how, exactly, would you even go about kidnapping him anyway? He’s gotta weigh about a ton, and I’m pretty sure it’s all solid muscle”

Rey let out a laugh. “Been studying that muscle, have you?” 

“Not as much as you have.” Finn teased, turning and running just out of reach of her fists. “Oh come on Peanut. I’m not blind. He’s a good looking dude. I don’t blame you.”

“You’re full of shit.” She huffed, unhooking herself and storming toward the water fountain. 

“Am I?” Finn pressed, sensing that he’d hit a nerve and feeling bold. “Then why did I catch you blushing like a schoolgirl when he was whispering sweet nothings in your ear at the gala, hmm?”

Rey glared at him, “You don’t know what you saw.”

“I know I saw him beat up Armitage Hux for you. And I know I saw him staring at you longingly all night, even though he had a literal supermodel on his arm.”

“Then he’s even more of a scumbag than I thought.” She snapped unconvincingly. 

“We both know you don’t think he’s actually a scumbag.”

“Says who?”

“Says you, every time you get drunk and I insult him.” Finn threw her a towel and sat down next to her as she ripped off her shoes. “Look, I know he’s a pain in the ass. And I know he gets under your skin like he was born to. But I really think you’ve got an opportunity to change something here.”

“And what would I be changing, exactly?”

“Everything.” Finn said simply. “It’ll be just the two of you, kicking butt and taking names. Nobody around to balk at the sight of you two actually getting along. Nothing to prove to anyone but yourselves.”

Rey set her shoes down and looked up at him. “I still don’t know what you expect to happen Finn.”

Finn shrugged, leaning over and grabbing her shoes for her before standing and offering a hand to pull her up off the ground. “I’m not expecting anything, Peanut. I just think it’s a good opportunity for growth is all.”

Rey took his hand and let him pull her up, looking resigned. “Getting along hasn’t been a necessary part of the job Finn. And I don’t have to like him to keep him safe.”

“Maybe not.” Finn shrugged as they stepped into the lobby. “But you can’t tell me it wouldn’t help.”

They were the last two people in the gym, and the attendants looked relieved that they were finally leaving as the clock inched closer to 10pm. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked out, heading to his car under cover of darkness. 

The radio filled the silence as he drove her across town to Leia’s apartment for a debriefing. Tomorrow she would hop on a plane to embark on a mission with next to no backup. It made him nervous, though he had no choice but to trust that Leia knew what she was doing. Finn loved Rey more than anything in the world, but even he had to admit that Leia’s affection rivaled his own. She wouldn’t put Rey in a dangerous position all on her own if she couldn’t handle it. She just wouldn’t.

Would she?

“Hey Finn?” Rey’s voice was soft, startling him out of his downward spiral. 

“Yeah Peanut?”

“Do you ever think about what would’ve happened if we hadn’t gotten out?”

Finn turned to find Rey resting her head against the passenger window, her eyes trained on the buildings as they passed by. 

“If _you_ hadn’t gotten us out, you mean.”

She turned back to look at him, not a trace of humor to be found. “I’m serious.”

Finn sobered immediately, meeting her eyes for a moment before he was forced to look back at the road. He did think about it. He thought about it all the time. 

The years he spent on the streets, begging for scraps until he was old enough to be of some use. The opportunity to become something more. To eat real food and drink actual booze and have girls fling themselves at him. To feel like a man, or, whatever version of a man they wanted him to be. To be given a gun and a purpose and an illusion of power that was nothing more than a veiled threat.

The metallic smell of a gun, hot after a shot. Of blood and burning flesh, of sweat and tears and desperation. The sound of screaming, and torture, and pain. 

The look on a son’s face, holding his father in his arms, begging, pleading for something he could never have back. Something precious, sacred, unwavering. 

The loss. The self-hatred. The regret. 

He’d never forget it. He couldn’t. Not ever. 

It didn’t matter that he’d run. It didn’t matter that he’d left it all behind that night and never looked back. He’d still been there. He’d still seen it. And he’d still done nothing. 

And Rey… Rey could never know. It was the one secret he could never share, not even with her. 

He’d stumbled into her when they were both at their lowest, and slowly but surely they’d climbed their way out. She robbed by night, tied to that bastard Unkar Plutt and his thugs, and by day he fenced her load. Legally, it was still dubious work, but it was better than where he’d come from. Robbery was a crime, but no one was getting hurt, and for the first time in many years, he could stand to look in the mirror and see himself reflected there. 

And Rey had become his family; the first family he’d ever truly had. He’d have followed her anywhere, jumped through fire if it meant keeping her safe. But she still couldn’t know. 

“Yeah.” He swallowed after a moment. “Yeah, sometimes I think about it.” 

She took his hand, resting on the console, and squeezed gently. 

“Crazy how life turned out, isn’t it?”

She was smiling wistfully. It was a sad smile, but a smile nonetheless. Unable to bring himself to follow suit, he squeezed her hand instead, pulling to a stop in front of Leia Organa’s building, wanting nothing more than to lean out his window and puke his guts out then and there. 

“Crazy.” He mumbled instead, swallowing back his revulsion at the images floating around in his mind. “Definitely crazy.”

Rey grabbed her bag and leaned over, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

“Don't let the place burn down without me, alright?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Good.” She opened the door and stepped out, shutting the door behind her. 

He rolled down the window, watching as she walked toward the doorman, suddenly overcome with the overwhelming fear that this could be the last time he watched her walk away. 

“Hey Rey?”

She stopped, turning back with a quirked brow. 

“Yeah?”

Finn swallowed, taking in the sight of his best and oldest friend as she stood sweaty and smiling on the sidewalk.

“You come back to me in one piece, alright?” 

She smirked, turning away with a wink over her shoulder. “Relax Finn. It’s going to be great.” And then she strode forward, nodding at the familiar doorman who stood with the door open and waiting. 

“I hope so Peanut.” Finn muttered to himself, shifting the car back into drive and pulling away from the curb. “I really hope so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Your wonderful feedback from the last chapter invigorated me, and thus, I present to you a Christmas in July early chapter before I head out of town. Comments get me going and keep me excited to write, so, you know, no pressure or anything ;) 
> 
> Next week: The plot thickens...


	8. Bury Me Facedown

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Bury Me Face Down - grandson

Leia still lived in the same penthouse apartment she had that fateful night years before. Rey’s immediate impression of the place had been more or less accurate, but now that she’d had ample time to marvel at the beauty and decor with the added benefit of proper lighting, she would admit she’d missed a few key details.

There were photographs everywhere. Evidence of the great lives of the people Leia loved most, even those who were now gone. Rey loved looking at them all, from the laughing faces of Han, Leia, and her brother Luke when they were young, to the more formal photographs of Leia’s adopted father Bail Organa standing in the Senate beside her biological mother, Padme. Each photograph gave life to those she’d only ever be able to hear stories about. It was a rare glimpse at the real lives of people the rest of the world could only hope to know.

Yet for all the history sitting on Leia’s shelves, her favorite photo, and the one she found herself absently admiring yet again, was of Ben. 

He couldn’t have been older than three or four at the time, with a mop of thick black waves and bright chocolate eyes that lit up as his father tossed him into the air. She could almost hear his laughter, painted for posterity in the tiny wooden frame on Leia’s bookshelf. 

“That’s my favorite too.”

Leia reentered the den carrying two steaming mugs of tea. She handed one to Rey as she came to stand beside her. 

“What was he like?” Rey asked, suddenly desperate to know. 

“Ben?” Leia smiled wistfully, taking a sip of tea. “He was a sweet child. Very thoughtful and affectionate. And he _adored_ Han.” 

Rey couldn’t help but smile. “I bet he was a wonderful father.”

“He did his best.” Leia nodded. “We both did. Though sometimes I think Ben deserved better.”

Rey frowned. “What do you mean? He couldn’t possibly have had better parents than the two of you.”

Leia laughed darkly. “You say that, but we were gone more often than we were home. Chewie and Mr. Threepio more or less raised Ben, with his dear mom and dad making an occasional appearance at dinner and a third of his school functions if we were lucky.” She shook her head sadly. “Maybe it wasn’t as bad as I made it out to be while wallowing in my regret through the years, but I still wish I’d given him more time.” 

Rey reached out, running her free hand down Leia’s arm comfortingly. The touch seemed to jolt Leia out of his thoughts, and she turned to look up at Rey with a smile that did not reach her eyes. 

“Speaking of time,” She gestured toward the couch and moved to sit near the file perched ominously on the edge of the coffee table. “We have much to discuss before tomorrow, and I want you to at least try and get some sleep tonight.”

Rey followed after her, setting her mug down and sitting beside Leia on the plush grey couch. 

“So,” Leia began, “You’ve already received my sign-off on the proposal, and I have no doubt that everything will go smoothly in that boardroom.”

Rey nodded in acknowledgement, her eyes fluttering down to watch as Leia reached for the manila folder. 

“What happens outside the boardroom is where things get dicey.” She continued. “The Hapes Consortium is known to be a tad over-the-top. I expect there will be a number of social gatherings you’ll need to attend. I don’t know what all that will entail, but I made sure Kaydel packed you an option for any situation.”

Rey nodded, lifting the mug to her lips to quell her growing anxiety. “What about the letter you showed me? What does it mean?”

Leia sighed deeply, pulling the letter out of her folder. “I don’t actually know what it means, and I don’t think I’m supposed to yet. The message itself isn’t as concerning as who it’s from.”

Rey took the letter in hand, reading it over once more.

“It’s a code name, right?” Rey questioned. “You’re Princess?”

“Yes.” Leia replied. “That was my old codename, from before.”

Rey swallowed and nodded, looking back down at the letter again. “Alright. That makes sense. So then, who is Farm Boy?”

“That’s the thing.” Leia murmured, leaning in closer. “There is only one person who would use those code names, but I never thought I’d hear from him again.”

Rey looked up, to find Leia’s eyes glassy and distant. “Who is it?”

“My brother.”

The words were whispered, but they resonated so profoundly that it was as if the whole room shook with implication.

“Y-your brother? As in, Luke Skywalker?”

Leia looked down at her hands and nodded.

Rey sat back, her brain whirling from the shock of it. “I don’t understand. I thought he was gone, or dead, or… or…”

“So did I.” Leia conceded quietly. “He left so suddenly, and without so much as a goodbye. I tried to find him for years with no luck.” 

Rey reached forward and took Leia’s hand. She shook her head, swallowing back tears before continuing. “He wouldn’t have reached out to me if it wasn’t important. And I can’t help but think there may have been more to his departure than I realized.”

“Okay.” Rey nodded. “Alright. So, what does this mean for the deal? Does anything in the message indicate a warning, or a meeting place?”

Leia straightened. “What do you know about the Alderaanian plague?”

Rey sat back, thoughtful. “Not much, admittedly. Only that it wiped out the entire population of Alderaan before being contained.”

“Yes, well, I suppose that much is technically true.” Leia looked grave. “But it wasn’t actually a plague at all.”

“Wait, what?” Rey jumped back, startled.

“It was a chemical attack.” Leia continued. “The government covered it up, said it was a virus, an epidemic. I suppose that was true, in a way. It spread as quickly as one. But I knew better. The Imperial government, with the help of my birth father and Skywalker Industries, had been working on a new breed of weapons, that of the chemical variety. My parent’s and the citizens of Alderaan were the first, and thankfully only, victims of a full scale attack. It was a test, and a punishment for their support of the opposition.”

Rey sat stunned. She knew Luke and Leia had been born in the midst of political upheaval, with the old Republican system on the brink of collapse. They’d been separated from their birth parents, who sat on opposite sides of the impending war, the moment they were born. Leia had grown up with the Organa’s in the mountain city of Alderaan, and following the mass extinction of her people, she had unknowingly come to work beside her twin brother and the scoundrel pilot he’d come into cahoots with. Together, they’d helped overthrow a tyrannical regime. Luke took over the Skywalker company, rebuilding its tarnished reputation into one of hope and prosperity, while Leia rejoined the new Republican government, building it anew. It had been a triumphant story of redemption, before tragedy struck again many years later.

“I can’t be sure exactly what Luke is trying to tell me.” Leia continued. “But I would venture that he’s referring to what happened in Alderaan, and he’s suggesting that there is a possibility that it could happen again.”

Rey looked at the letter one more time, burning the words into her memory as she mulled them over with this new context.

> _The mountains stir._

Alderaan had been known for its majestic beauty, with lush green valleys nestled between towering, snow-covered mountain peaks. The city had never been resettled, most finding it haunted and perhaps even cursed. It would make for the perfect hideaway for anyone who did not want to be found, whatever their reasons might be.

> _The sky will burn again._

If it truly was chemical weapons that wiped out the people of Alderaan, then the description suddenly felt far more ominous. It was certainly a warning, but it held little in the way of direction. And there was still the very first line to consider.

> _The Raven flew to soon._

Rey had no idea where to begin deciphering that line, much less what it could mean for her mission in Canto Bight. Unless....

“Leia…” 

“Yes Rey?”

“You said that Skywalker Industries produced the chemical weapon last time.” Rey turned to Leia with wide eyes.

“Unfortunately.Though Luke made sure to destroy all records of it to ensure it could not be used again.”

Rey nodded her head repeatedly, her brain churning with possibilities. “You don’t think the Hapes Consortium has been working on something similar, do you?”

Leia smiled darkly. “I don’t know Rey. You’re the one who's studied their portfolio. What do you think?”

_BANG_

Rey and Leia both jumped at the sound of a pounding at the door. 

“Oh dear me.” Leia’s butler, Mr. Threepio muttered from the other room, his awkward gait audible as he shuffled to the door.

“Threepio!” The distant bark of Ben Solo sounded from the entryway of her penthouse. “Where’s my mother?”

“Rey.” Leia grabbed her hand and pulled her gaze back. “He can’t see you here right now.”

Rey nodded silently and jumped up, looking around the room for the best place to hide.

The door opened just as she ducked out of his line of vision, giving Leia just enough time to stuff the folder under the couch cushions and stand to greet her son.

“Hi Ben. This is a surprise.”

Panicked and out of time, Rey threw herself behind one of Leia’s dark, floor length curtains, holding her breath as Ben clobbered his way into the room. She could see his movement just enough through the partially sheer curtains, and he appeared to be twisting his head around.

“Was someone here?” he questioned.

“No?” Leia answered smoothly. “Just me.”

Ben stayed silent for a moment. Then, “Why are there two mugs for tea?”

Rey silently cursed as Leia looked down. “Threepio was sitting with me.” She answered simply. “You look like you could use a cup yourself, sweetheart. Shall I have him put on another?”

“No, no.” Ben shook his head. He sounded off, a little dazed even. Almost as if he was drunk.

“Have you been drinking?” Leia questioned, taking a seat on the couch.

Ben grunted, moving to slump down into the seat across from her. “It’s Dameron’s fault.”

Yep. Definitely drunk.

Leia laughed. “Really now?”

“Yeah.” Ben retorted stubbornly. “Or maybe yours, since you asked him to corner me.”

Leia tsked. “I did no such thing.”

Ben huffed petulantly. “That’s not what _he_ says.”

“Well what do you say Ben? Was he able to convince you?”

Ben turned his head and narrowed his glare on his mother, truly looking at her for the first time. “You should’ve saved your favor mother. I had already decided to go without having to be bribed.”

I’m happy to hear that.” Leia sat back, a hint of amusement in her tone. “And don’t act like I put you out. You hardly see Poe outside of the office anymore. Was it so bad to go grab a beer with him?”

“No.” Ben grumbled. “He’s so nosy though. Was he always so nosy?”

Leia laughed. “Yes, darling.”

“Hpmh.” Ben sat up, reaching for Rey’s half finished mug of tea. He took a long sip and then held it out in front of his face, eyeing it suspiciously. “What kind of tea is this?”

“Hmmm?” Leia questioned, “Oh, it’s Earl Grey I think.”

“With cream?” 

“Yes?” Leia answered questioningly. 

“But no sugar.” Ben murmured to himself as he took another sip. “Interesting.”

Rey’s heart rate soared as his eyes trailed up, as if he was looking right through the curtain to where she stood frozen behind it, finishing her cup of tea smugly like he knew she was watching.

_That bastard_.

“I’m glad you came by.” Leia said, breaking the tension. “Though I’ll admit I thought you were still mad at me.”

Ben shook his head furiously. “Not mad. Just frustrated.”

“Oh?”

“You’re in danger.”

Leia shook her head. “Maybe. But I don’t see why I’m in any more danger today than I was yesterday. I’ve always been a target, Ben. Jyn’s death, while terrible, doesn’t change that.”

“You’ll be alone.”

“Am I not normally?” She continued. “You don’t live with me anymore. And let’s be honest. I’m just as likely to get blown off the road when you’re in town as I am when you’re not.”

Rey cringed, the mental image Leia had just implanted in her mind far more distressing than she’d ever bargained for.

Ben seemed to share her sentiment, his body stiffening in the chair. “That’s not the point.”

“It is the point, Ben.” Leia leaned forward. 

“No!” Suddenly Ben was on his feet, storming across the room like tropical storm of the verge of making land-fall. “It’s… You... I just… No. Just no.”

He was pacing dangerously close to where she stood, before he came to a stop in front of the bookshelf that contained the picture she’d been admiring earlier. His posture softened immediately as he stared. She couldn’t see his face, but she didn’t need to. His sadness was as palpable as her heart beat in her chest.

“Ben…” Leia called softly from the couch.

“I know I broke your heart.” He answered, his voice softer than she’d ever heard it before. “The day I came back. I know it would’ve been easier if I’d never shown my face again.”

“No.” Leia stood. “No, Ben. That’s not...”

“It is, though.” Ben turned back. “It is true. You’d moved on. And then I showed back up and broke your heart all over again.”

“Sweetheart.” Leia had her arms around him a moment later, holding him close as he bent to bury his face in her hair, a sob tearing through him. 

“I can’t lose you Mom. I can’t.”

His voice was so broken that Rey found herself biting back her own tears. She’d seen many sides of Ben Solo in the year and a half she’d known him, but never once had she ever witnessed such vulnerability. She’d seen glimpses of kindness, of empathy and generosity. Finn was right. She knew that, buried somewhere inside his brooding exterior, was a man with a good heart. She just never expected to see it. It was wrong for her to be here, to bear witness to what she knew was an incredibly private and personal moment between mother and son. But it was too late now. She couldn’t take back what she was seeing, and if she was honest, she didn’t want to.

“What can I do, Ben?” Leia asked gently, running her hand through Ben’s hair. “What do you want me to do?”

Ben pulled back slightly, straightening back up to tower over his mother. “Go to Varykino.”

Leia snorted. “Ben. I can’t run off to Naboo. Not with you _and_ Rey gone.”

“Fine.” Ben conceded begrudgingly. “Then stay at my place with Chewie. Or hell, you can go stay with Poe. Just… somewhere they don’t _know_ you’ll be. With someone a little more useful in a bind than old Threepio.”

Leia chuckled, running a hand down Ben’s face. “You’d better hope he didn’t hear that Benjamin.”

“So what if he did? Ben scoffed. “It’s the truth.”

“I know.” Leia nodded. “And perhaps you’re right. Chewie might even like my company. For old times sake if nothing else.”

Ben let out a deep sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing visibly. “Thank you Mom.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for, sweetheart.” Leia stepped back, “Now, I need to pack. Will you tell Threepio to grab my bags? I’ll be there in a minute.”

Ben nodded silently and then wandered out of the room, leaving Rey and Leia alone once again.

“Rey?” Leia murmured, once she was sure the coast was clear.

Poking her head out from behind the curtain, Rey met Leia’s weary gaze. 

“I’m sorry about this.” Leia said urgently, stepping toward her. “I had more I wanted to talk through before you left.”

“It’s alright.” Rey replied, letting Leia take her hand. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t glad he talked you into this.”

Leia smiled. “I don’t know what exactly you’ll face, but I know we cannot risk this deal slipping through our fingers. Find out what you can, do whatever you must, and please,” Leia’s grip tightened, her eyes searing into Rey’s with newfound intensity. “Keep an eye on him.”

“I will.” Rey replied firmly. “I promise.”

“Mom!” Ben’s voice sounded from down the hall. “Bag’s are ready!”

“Coming!” Leia called back, before turning and squeezing Rey’s hand one last time. “Good luck Rey.”

Rey nodded in reply, swallowing as she watched Leia leave the room. She stood behind the curtain for a long time, waiting for the telltale sound of the door slamming to indicate that it was safe to leave her hiding place, all the while trying to calm her racing heart.

No, she never should’ve seen what she did tonight, but heading into a trip alone with the man that made her blood boil in every possible way, she couldn’t help but feel grateful that she had. 

With a resigned sigh, she dug out the file and poured over the remaining documents. There was no way to know exactly what they’d face in Canto Bight tomorrow, but she’d be damned if she wasn’t as prepared as she possibly could be. She owed that to Leia. And, perhaps more importantly, she owed it to Ben. He’d said it himself on a night not too long ago. 

Whatever else they were to each other, when it came to getting this deal, they were partners. 

_____________________________

Rey had been on the Skywalker Industries private jet plenty of times now, yet somehow the thrill of stepping into the pristine cabin never went away. Particularly when turning inside meant coming face to face with Ben Solo, stretched out in a pair of low hanging sweatpants and a tight t-shirt that did little to hide the impressive physique she tried her hardest to _never_ think about. 

But _boy_ was she thinking about it now.

“Morning.” He commented, a wry smile sitting on his infuriating lips. “You going to stand there staring for the duration of the flight, or would you like to take a seat?”

The blood rushed to her cheeks before she could look away, so instead she scoffed in a failed attempt to hide her embarrassment, and plopped down in the plush leather recliner across the aisle from him.

“Here.” He lifted up a large to-go cup and offered it to her from across the aisle, turning to look at her with a smug smirk. “You look thirsty.”  

The innuendo was not lost of her, and she found herself thinking that her promise to keep him safe was going to go out the window much sooner than previously expected. 

“Well I’m not.” She snapped, crossing her arms defiantly and refusing to look his way.

“Suit yourself.” he shrugged, leaning over the aisle and into her personal space to drop the mug of tea on the table in front of her. He smelled like pine trees and musk, the scent dangerously close as his long, toned arm stretched tauntingly in front of her. Here she thought she was going to be able to handle a few days alone with him. She should’ve known better. 

“Good morning Mr. Solo, Miss Niima.” The pilot stepped into the lounge with a smile. “My name is Wedge Antilles. I will be your pilot today. We’re expecting a pretty smooth flight, but if you need anything please don’t hesitate to call up to the cockpit.”

“Thanks Wedge.” Ben replied with a familiarity that was somewhat disarming.

Rey’s head snapped to look at him suspiciously. “You know him?”

Ben shrugged. “He’s an old friend of my uncle.”

Rey nodded and turned away slowly, swallowing hard. _His uncle_. Ben never mentioned Luke Skywalker. Few people did really. He was equal parts legend and ghost. And now she sat in a plane, one of only two people aware that he was still alive, with both his nephew and his old friend, unable to tell them the truth. What cruel and unusual punishment that was.

“My mother says she warned you about the ridiculous charade we’re going to have to put on.” Ben said with a hint of disdain, twirling an airpod in between his fingers.

“She did.” Rey nodded, still looking away from him as she dug in her bag for the book she’d packed away.

Ben sneered to himself. “I hate these things.”

Rey couldn’t help but look at him now, turning with both eyebrows raised high on her forehead. “ _You_ hate these things? You who was raised like a prince?”

“It wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, you know.” He replied coldly. “Not all of us were born with charm oozing out our asses like Dameron.”

Rey continued to observe him as he turned away. She must’ve struck a nerve, for his posture was now anything but relaxed. He crossed his arms across his chest protectively, no longer smugly goading her, and retreated to look out the window. 

She said nothing, turning instead to the cup he’d set in front of her and taking a sip. She nearly spit it out the moment the hot liquid crossed her taste buds, pulling back to stare at the offending paper and plastic. 

Earl Grey, cream no sugar. A perfect cup.

_Shit._

“Well?” Ben prodded, having turned back to look at her once more, his eyes bubbling with something like excitement and wonder. “Not what you wanted?”

“No, it’s…” Rey shook her head, trying to regain some semblance of control on her racing heart. “It’s fine. Thank you.”

He watched her, his smug countenance returning slightly as he took a sip of his own drink, presumably a steaming black roast, and then settled back in his seat, closing his eyes. She didn’t miss the slight smile that pulled on his lips, which did no service to her racing mind. 

He couldn’t have known she was there last night, could he?

“I’d try and get some sleep if I were you.” He offered, eyes still closed. “We’ve got a long couple of days ahead of us.”

“Right.” She replied simply, fishing out her own headphones and shoving them into her ears before reclining back and looking out her own window, watching as the runway began to roll by, the city disappearing into the distance as their plane carried them away.

There would be no sleeping. Not with his stupid cup of tea glaring daggers at her from the table, and his perfect, muscled body sitting an arms length away. Not with the thousand questions still sitting unanswered, the responsibility they held in their hands, known in full only by her. 

He was right. It was going to be a loooong couple of days. And God help her, it was going to take every ounce of her willpower to make it out with both her body, and her heart, in one piece.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 


	9. I'm a Wanted Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Blood // Water - grandson  
> I'm a Wanted Man - Royal Deluxe

It always started with the darkness. An eerie, all consuming vortex of fear and desperation, by now familiar yet still no less harrowing.

A rough shove had him stumbling forward, splashing into a puddle and soaking through his shoes instantly. A set of strong arms pulled him straight, ripping him from the darkness and revealing a space he knew intimately. 

In life it had been a courtyard, hidden away between tall brick buildings, the musky smell of wet garbage so potent that he could smell it even now. Yet there was no courtyard, no garbage, no familiar dilapidated mortar and brick. Only bodies with faces masked in the darkness forming a circle around him.

“Solo.” A cold voice echoed from above, “I expect you know why you’re here.”

Ben ducked his head. “Yes, sir.”

“When I found you,” the voice continued, amplified as if spoken by an omnipotent being, “I saw what every mentor lives to see. You had so much potential, and beyond that, there was the power of your bloodline. With you by my side, we could have changed everything. Built a new order from the chaos. Now, I fear, I was mistaken.”

Ben looked down, his reflection rippling in the puddle beneath his knees, an expression he knew too well on a face he no longer recognized.

“The plans we sought lay in Skywalker Tower, in the hands of your uncle.” The echoing rang in his head, painfully loud and inescapable. “The man who has squandered _your_ birthright, who has made a mockery of the greatness of your grandfather. Yet, when the time came, you _failed_.”

“I am sorry.” he murmured, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.

“NO!” The voice boomed. “You are _weak_. And there is no place for weakness here.”

The faceless soldiers stepped forward with military precision, caging him in.

“Kneel.”

He did as he was bid, his knees growing cold as the water soaked through. A gun cocked above him and he closed his eyes, his heart beating like a drum in his chest.

Then, another voice. 

“Ben! Get the hell off of me! BEN!”

His head snapped toward the gruff shout that he knew belonged to his father, meeting his wild, worried eyes from across the darkness, a wall of bodies standing between them. Ben’s heart sank. He knew how this ended. It was always the same. He couldn’t change what had happened.

But damn it if he wasn’t desperate to.

“Ben get up!” Han yelled, fighting back against the faceless soldiers.

“ _Go._ ” Ben cried, stumbling to his feet. “GO! Dad, please! You need to GO!”

_BANG_

The bullet tore through Han, blood spewing out like paint on a black canvas as his father crumbled to the ground in front of him.

“NO!” Ben roared, running to him and falling to the ground, pulling his father into his lap. 

Han looked up at him, weakly reaching his hand to his cheek as blood curdled against his lips. 

“Ben…”

“ _Please._ ” Ben sobbed, his whole body shaking through his tears. “Please don’t leave me. _Please_...”

“Ben.”

“I’m sorry. I’m _so_ sorry.”

“Ben?”

“I’ll do anything. _Please._  I _need_ you.” 

“BEN!”

He jolted, opening his eyes to find hazel orbs staring back at him, wide with concern.

“Rey?” He stuttered, blinking rapidly. “W-what…”

“You were having a nightmare.” 

She placed a hand over his own to calm his shaking, and he flinched in his seat.

“It’s okay.” She urged softly. “You’re awake now. It’s okay.”

His eyes spun around the cabin, searching desperately for someone he knew he wouldn’t find. Half in a daze, he pushed her back and leapt from his seat, his breathing still ragged and erratic. 

“I’m sorry.” He mumbled distractedly, running his hand through his hair to find it damp with sweat.

“It’s okay Ben. Just… sit down.”

That was the last thing he was going to do. Rey hadn’t moved from beside him, giving him no space to escape.

“It was about your father,” She asked quietly. “Wasn’t it?”

He opened his mouth, but there was no answer, only a desperate need to run. Run away from her, from the truth, from the pain that was eating him alive. Swallowing back his anguish, he pushed past her, heading toward the back of the plane.

If she was startled by his abrupt departure, she didn’t let it show, her soft feet thudding after him down the aisle. “Ben, it’s okay. You can talk about it.”

He ignored her, turning to fit down the slim space between seats, making as much of a beeline as he could toward the bathroom in the back. 

“Ben!” She cried out. “Stop!”

He didn’t, of course. But she was not deterred. He was almost to the back when he felt her hand grabbing for his elbow. He spun on instinct, snatching her wrist and pulling hard. 

She flinched at his reflex, gasping as her eyes flashed with fear for the briefest moment, and in that moment he’d never hated himself more. He let her go immediately, staring at her in a stunned daze. She didn’t need to say anything for him to know what was going on inside her mind. The image of her pulling back and rub the wrist he’d just maligned was verdict enough.

_Monster._

He turned and bolted into the bathroom, locking it behind him with unnecessary force.

 _What is_ wrong _with you?_

A loaded question, and one he tried his best to avoid thinking about whenever possible.

It was a rare event for him to fall asleep without having the nightmare, one of the many reasons he avoided sleep whenever he could. It didn’t matter how many years had gone by, the dream was as vivid as the day it happened. The day his father had come to save him from his own mistakes, his own betrayal. The metallic smell of iron and blood. The ringing of a bullet in a rain soaked alleyway. The touch of his father’s calloused hands on his face, cradling him with a love he didn’t deserve. 

The pain had been useful in his training. His master had yanked it out and stoked it. It had seemed like the only recompense for what he’d done. But now that he was back, surrounded by the constant reminders of what the pain had cost, he found it increasingly difficult to come to terms with it.

His mother still didn’t know. She didn’t know that it was his fault that Han had been in that alley. She didn’t know that it had been his fault that Luke had left. She didn’t know the torture he’d subjected himself to as absolution, or that he’d returned only after learning of his master’s plans to destroy the one thing he’d left her with. 

She didn’t know, and he wasn’t brave enough to tell her. Only to protect her. Only to avenge his father. Only to destroy all those who had destroyed him.

Rey wasn’t part of that plan, yet here she was, impossibly tied up in it. He ground his wrists into his eyes and groaned in frustration before dropping his hands to the edge of the sink and slumping his forehead against the mirror. His own red-lined eyes stared back at him, before morphing into fear filled hazel ones. He’d hurt her. She’d only been trying to help him, and he repaid her effort by causing her pain. 

A ding rang out overhead as Wedge Antilles voice called over the intercom to announce that they were beginning their descent. He needed to change out of his casual clothes, which would require facing her again. But he’d have to do that again soon enough. Better to rip the band-aid off now. 

He unlocked the door without a second thought and stepped out into the silent cabin. Rey’s head wasn’t visible above the headrest, but was safe to assume she was there. Taking a deep breath in, he slowly made his way toward the front, doing his best to make as little noise as possible. When finally he was close enough to see, he found her curled up in her seat, headphones in, her head turned toward the window. She looked defeated, which only made the sinking feeling in his stomach that much worse. He grabbed his bag out of the overhead bin as quietly as he could and returned to the back of the plane to change into his business attire. 

When he exited the bathroom the next time, it was as Ben Solo the business man. He took a seat toward the back of the plane, facing away and allowing her the space to avoid him as needed. Instead, she stood, grabbing her own bag and making her way past him to change herself. 

Rey stepped out of the small bathroom a few minutes later, dressed in a crisp cream shift and a navy blazer. He recognized the dress. It was the one she’d been wearing the very first time he ever saw her, back when there was no history between them, only boundless potential. Potential that he had thrown away, no matter how necessarily, in favor of the life he deserved. He stared a little too long before forcing his eyes away and swallowing hard. She was about to pass his seat and ignore the festering tension, when she stopped, backing up until she stood above him. 

Heaving a heavy sigh, she turned to look down at him. “Ben, I’m not going to force you to talk to me. But… if you ever need to, I’ll be here.”

His eyes shot up, meeting her eyes in surprise. She had every right to be furious with him. And by all accounts she _should_ be. Yet as he looked at her now, there was only determination, and honesty, and perhaps a bit more pity than he could swallow. He managed to nod weakly, which seemed enough for her in the moment, for she returned the nod in acknowledgement and turned to head back to her seat.

The plane landed with a soft thud far too quickly thereafter, and as he lifted himself begrudgingly from the safety of his seat, he watched Wedge pry open the door. Rey stepped up behind him just as the sunlight poured through, illuminating her face in all it’s freckled glory.

She was getting dangerously close to traversing the edge of his carefully constructed walls, and as he took in the angelic image of her standing there in a halo of midday sunlight, he knew if he wasn’t careful, he would let her.

_________________________

Leia stood looking out at Coruscant from the window that made up the wall of Ben’s penthouse living room, a mug of tea in hand. 

“Is everything alright?” Chewie asked from behind her.

“Hmm?” She turned, to find her old friend eyeing her with uncertainty. “Oh, yes. Just thinking.”

She smiled at him, and moved to sit on the plush grey couch.

“About anything in particular?”

Leia sighed lightly, looking down at her tea bag swirling in the hot water. “What if this all blows up in my face?”

Chewie tilted his head and joined her on the couch. “What if what blows up in your face?”

“Ben. Rey. Sending the two of them into the lion’s den on their own.”

Chewie shook his head. “It won’t.”

Leia looked up, meeting her friend’s eyes. “How can you be sure?”

“Because he loves her.” He shrugged, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. 

Leia twisted, eyeing Chewie suspiciously. “Has he _told_ you that?”

“Of course not.” Chewie smirked. “But he doesn’t have to.”

Leia scoffed. “Don’t get my hopes up Chewie.”

Chewie reached forward, patting Leia’s hand. “Trust me Leia. I’ve spent enough time watching Solo men attempt to deal with their feelings to recognize it when I see it.”

Leia let out a laugh as she shook her head, the faintest hint of a tear settling in the corner of her eye. “Kriff. He is _just_ like his father.”

“Yes he is.” Chewie agreed. “In more ways than he even knows.”

___________________________

“I can’t believe this.” Rey cried indignantly as she stormed down the hall of the 5-star hotel they’d been put up in, not bothering to care if Ben was still following behind her or not. “I _specifically_ told her to put us in separate rooms.”

She’d about blown a gasket at the poor receptionist when the girl had insisted that they’d been booked in the same room. It wasn’t her fault of course. It was Kaydel’s. And probably Leia’s if she was honest. But seriously, they must’ve lost their minds. Aside from it being professionally taboo to share a hotel room with a coworker, there was also slightly important point that she was on a RECONNAISSANCE MISSION.

Never-mind the fact that the aforementioned roommate was a man whose very existence made her brain go topsy turvy in all the worst ways. 

The car ride to the hotel had been tense to say the least, made more so by the irritatingly pretty hostess who had greeted them. A blind man would’ve noticed the way she cozied up so comfortably beside Ben in the back of the black sedan, barely veiled flirtations seeping through her words. He seemed distracted, barely giving the woman the time of day, which, while pleasing, left Rey to smile and nod cordially, a task she resented him for wholeheartedly.

Rey did her best to absorb the woman’s words, but her mind kept returning to the desperate pleas that she’d heard pouring out of Ben’s mouth as he jerked back and forth in his sleep. The haunting words, uttered with a pain she couldn’t begin to comprehend. And the way he’d reacted to her touch, with a defensive reflex so fast it gave her whiplash. Her wrist would be sore for a few days, she was sure of that, but on a scale of injuries she’d endured, this wouldn’t even make the list. It had merely been a reflex on his part, so fast it seemed almost inhuman. It was the reason for the reflex that had her mind spinning. Nobody moved like that, not without reason. Not without training. 

Everyone knew that Ben Solo had secrets. But over the last twenty four hours she’d finally gotten a glimpse behind the curtain, and now she found herself increasingly desperate to know more. 

Not that that made sharing a room with him in any way okay. Because it _most certainly_ did not. 

She stopped in front of the cream and gold gilded door to room 715, whipping out the keycard and swiping it with unnecessary aggression. She felt Ben come to a halt behind her, the first indication that he’d kept up since they exited the elevator. 

“Look, Rey….”

“Save it Solo.” She huffed, throwing the door open and dragging her bag inside. 

The moment she stepped through the threshold her whole body sagged in relief. The space was spacious and vast, with a cozy looking sectional facing an enormous TV on one side, and a small kitchen on the other. Most importantly of all, though, was the fact that there were two doors leading from the common space, which, to Rey’s immense relief, led to two seperate bedrooms. 

Ben hummed as he flipped the light switch on behind her, illuminating the suite in all it’s upscale glory. “Looks like you won’t have to share with me afterall, Niima.”

She met his eyes, only to find something that almost looked regretful brewing within them.

“Try not to act so disappointed.” She replied with more bite than was altogether necessary, before grabbing her bag and making a beeline for the room she intended to claim as her own. 

It was nice, the size of a normal hotel room, with a plush king bed and a spacious marble ensuite bathroom she’d have all to herself. She took a few minutes to scout out the window situation and was glad to find that she had balcony access, though it appeared to be shared with Ben’s room. 

The handrail was iron, and sturdy beneath her grip as she tested it. Looking down she found a courtyard garden, leading to the elaborate resort pool not too far off. It was less than ideal for covert climbing, but she could make do if she needed to. At the very least the balconies would make scaling the hotel a piece of cake, particularly when compared  to her more recent endeavors.

Satisfied with her findings, Rey moved toward the bed, proceeding to unzip her suitcase to unpack her toiletries and hang up the garment bags that Kaydel had packed so perfectly. Buried beneath all that was her gear. The sleek black catsuit lay inside the secret compartment of her suitcase, along with her half mask, earpiece, magnetic gloves, and more microscopic bugs than she could count.

She pulled a few of the bugs out and placed them in her clutch. Tonight she would need to place them, giving the Resistance access to all the rooms and people she could not watch on a constant basis. In the meantime, she would go explore the hotel, map out her plan of attack and find all the potential weaknesses she could exploit in the building’s architecture. 

She was slipping her shoes back on when she heard a knock on the door to their suite. Ben was already in the main room by the time she got there, opening the door to reveal the same pretty hostess that had greeted them on the runway.

“Allana.” Ben greeted stiffly as the redheaded woman pressed into their room with a bright smile. So he’d remembered the woman’s name. That was more than Rey could say. Between her flailing emotions and the dazzling skyline of Canto Bight, it would’ve taken more focus than Rey possessed to retain _any_ of the words that had come out of _Allana_ ’s mouth on the car ride over. Clearly Ben had not been quite so distracted.. 

“Hello again Mr. Solo” Allana smiled brightly. “ And you Miss Niima. I hope you’ve found the accommodations to your liking.”

“Of course.” Ben answered, pulling out the charm in time to cover Rey’s dark mumble of “They’ll do.”

“Lovely.” Allana chirped cheerfully, happily oblivious to Rey’s darkening mood. “Now that you’ve had a moment to get settled, I wanted to go over the schedule for the next few days.”

“Sure.” Ben replied, gesturing toward the couch.

“Thank you.” The girl smiled dazzlingly in Ben’s direction, accentuating her curves with a smooth hand down the back of her skin tight skirt as she sat on the couch in front of him. 

Rey’s eyes rolled in annoyance, thankful, if only begrudgingly, that the woman was too enthralled with Ben to notice. Once they’d both taken a seat on the couch themselves, Allana presented two folders.

“Inside you will find the itinerary for the next few days. We at the Hapes Consortium take our work seriously, but not at the expense of play.”

Rey looked down at the schedule hesitantly, barely listening as Allana described each event in detail.

> **Day 1:**
> 
> 7pm - Welcome Dinner
> 
>  
> 
> **Day 2:**
> 
> 9:00am - The Hapes Consortium: Who We Are
> 
> 10:30am-4pm - Proposal Presentations
> 
> 7pm - Cocktail hour
> 
>  
> 
> **Day 3:**
> 
> 8:00am-3pm - Deliberations _(By Invite Only)_
> 
> 7pm - Closing Gala
> 
>  
> 
> **Day 4** **_(By invite only)_** **:**
> 
> 9:30am - Breakfast. 

 

“The Consortium’s decision will be made by the Gala on the final evening, with representatives from the final companies invited to a private breakfast the next morning.” Allana said cheerily. “If, for whatever reason, your proposal is passed over, you are welcome to stay here and enjoy the resort and all it has to offer.” Rey did not miss the way Allana’s eyes flitted to Ben then, less than subtly implying that she was including herself in the list of amenities he could take advantage of.

Ben, however, appeared utterly oblivious, his eyes running down the agenda as he nodded to himself. “Perfect.” He said simply, “Thank you for your help Allana.”

He stood then, and Rey followed his lead. The woman pulled herself up, her smile still wide though no longer reaching her eyes as she shook his offered hand. “Of course Mr. Solo. If there is anything you need, _anything at all,_ please do not hesitate to let me know.”

“We will.” Rey cut in darkly, forcing Allana’s eyes away from Ben. “Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have some work we’d like to finish before dinner.” 

Allana’s smile faltered as she turned to Rey, then looked back to Ben, her face shifting into an understanding Rey was altogether uncomfortable with. “Of course.” She nodded, “I will see you both this evening.”

Ben followed after her, opening the door to let her out, only for Rey to burst out in derisive laughter the moment the door snapped closed. 

Startled by the sudden shift, Ben turned back to her in surprise. “Are you alright?”

“Oh my God.” Rey barked, falling down onto the couch, “ _Tell me_ you caught that.”

Ben’s brow furrowed deeply. “Caught what?”

Rey shook her head, snorting. “She was _propositioning you_ Solo.”

Ben looked stunned, and confused, his head snapping back to the door before he turned back to face her with a look of utter bewilderment. “What?”

“ _Oh please_.” Rey snorted. “I know you’re not _that_ blind.”

Ben moved to take a seat on the far side of the couch, seeming to grow more confused with each passing second. 

“Rey, I’m really not sure what you’re trying to imply, but I’m not…”

“Forget it.” Rey cut him off with a wave of her hand, hating herself for the way her stomach boiled at the thought of Ben sneaking off to meet the beautiful woman in the night. “Your private life is none of my business.” 

She stood then, grabbing for the folder. She felt his eyes on her as she moved, a heavy tension settling in the space between them.

“Rey, I swear, I don’t…”

“I’m going to go for a walk.” She said simply, heading to door, determined to avoid his gaze. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“I can go with you.” he offered, standing up behind her. 

“No!” She said a little too forcefully, looking up to find something that looked like hurt in his eyes. “No, that’s okay.” She tried again, softer. “I just want to look around. I’ll meet you down at the bar? Before dinner?”

He swallowed as he nodded, eyes wide yet tired looking. “Sure.”

“Great.” She replied, then she turned, stuffing her bag tightly under her shoulder, and stepped out the door, unable to escape the feeling that there she’d left too much unsaid. But she couldn’t be in that room with him right now, not with him looking at her like that, not with her stomach doing jealous somersaults. 

And so she forced herself down the hallway toward the elevator, determined to wipe away the painful image of the stunning redhead wrapped around Ben that had nested itself painfully in her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Many apologizes for my week delay on Chapter 9. I've suffered a bad bout of writers block, and am feeling a little desperate for some inspiration. I know it's cliche, but all of your support really does help, and I am hopeful we've finally reached the point of stage setting where I can really get going with the fun because next time on APBoJ... Sexual tension™


	10. Long Cool Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress) - The Hollies  
> Blood in The Cut - K. Flay  
> Death of Me- SAINT PHNX

“Oh c’mon. You _promised_.” Finn whined as Poe snatched away the remote. 

“I did no such thing.” Poe teased, holding the little gray device above his head and out of Finn’s reach. “There is _no way_ I would’ve ever agreed to watch  _Downton Abbey_ when the new season of Stranger Things remains unwatched.”

“Oh, but ya did.” Finn insisted, climbing onto his knees on the bed and leaping toward Poe’s outstretched arm. “Or don’t you remember last night when I…”

Poe captured Finn’s mouth with his own before he could finish the scandalous thought, tracing one hand along his boyfriend’s cheek while the other scrolled down on the remote and hit play on the Netflix app. 

“I remember that bit.” Poe smirked as he pulled back, clicking on the image that would start up his choice for evening entertainment. “I just don’t think I should be held to any promises made in such a blissful daze.”

Finn groaned as the show began, slumping back against the pillow defeatedly. “ _Fine_. But as soon as we finish this season we _are_ watching my show.”

“Sure, baby.” Poe smiled, settling down onto the bed beside him. “Whatever you say.”

It was a rare evening of quiet, what with Rey on a mission across the world, and Leia insisting they all lay low for the time being. Despite the fact that he and Finn had been secretly seeing each other for months now, the nature of their work had forced their relationship into the more shadowy, albeit romantic, realm of closeted passion and all-too-short rendezvous. Tonight, for a rare moment, they’d been able to just _be_. 

It was all rather domestic really, arguing about what show to watch, or burning their sad attempt at dinner and being forced to order take-out. He hadn’t known just how badly he’d wanted this semblance of normalcy in his life, and while Poe was damn near certain the girls already suspected the two of them, he looked forward to the day he could confirm it for the world. 

Finn grabbed for his hand, squeezing excitedly as the familiar opening credits rolled and drawing Poe’s attention back to the screen, his mind ready to escape to this imaginary world for an hour or two. 

But of course, that was not to be.

Finn’s phone began to beep incessantly from the bed stand, forcing him to jerk up and pull his hand away. 

“Shit.” he muttered, staring down at the screen. “Sorry babe. It’s Rose.”

Poe sighed dramatically, pressing pause on the remote and sitting up. “Maybe someday I’ll get to watch this show.”

Finn looked at him apologetically before clicking the accept button and lifting his phone to his ear.

“Hey Rosie. What’s up?”

Poe watched as Finn nodded along to whatever Rose was saying.

“Seriously? Let me get my computer, hang on.” Finn rose from the bed and crossed the room, pulling his laptop off the charger and tossing it over to Poe. “That was kinda fast wasn’t it? I didn’t think she’d be online yet.”

Finn turned to meet Poe’s furrowed expression, mouthing ‘ _Rey’_ as an explanation. Finn kept nodding along until he stopped dead on the edge of the bed, the reddening of his cheeks visible even in the darkness of the room. “I don’t… why would you…Uh, yeah, I mean.... Fine. Okay. Yes, I’ll tell him.” Finn swallowed, rubbing his eyes in embarrassment. “I know you’re not blind Rose. Or stupid. Yes, I know. Alright, we wi- Hey!”

Finn thrust the phone away from him, looking down at it as if it had shocked him. “She hung up on me!”

Poe laughed. “What on Earth did she say that had you blushing like a bride?”

Finn moaned, throwing himself down on the bed face first. “She knows you’re over.” He mumbled from within the comforter.

“And let me guess,” Poe leaned down, pressing a kissing on the back of Finn’s head, “She said to use protection.”

Finn’s head shot up, making him look hilariously like an awkward turtle despite the frustrated look on his face. “How’d you know?” he blushed.

Poe just kept on laughing. “Because I know Rose.” he leaned back, opening up Finn’s laptop and dragging his boyfriend’s thumb over to unlock the machine. “Now get over here and tell me what was so important that she had to interrupt us on date night,”

Finn pulled himself back up and settled in beside him, taking his laptop from Poe’s lap and placing it in his own. “Rey’s got the mics and camera’s online already.”

“Really?” Poe leaned back in surprise. “That was fast. How’d she have time?”

Finn shrugged, pulling up the secure camera feed. “Not sure. She didn’t get to everything yet, but she covered the main public spaces, which is a good start. Apparently they have a dinner tonight for all potential buyers.”

Poe jumped off the bed, digging for an HDMI cable and tossing one end up to Finn. “Looks like the Upsidedown is going to have to wait.”

“Sorry babe.” Finn grabbed the other end, plugging it into his laptop, the camera feed flickering to life on the screen.

“It’s alright.” Poe replied truthfully, grabbing his own computer out of his bag and returning to Finn’s side. “In this case, I have a strong suspicion that reality is going to be even more entertaining than fiction.”

______________________

He found her where she said she’d be, sitting alone at the bar in a slinky black dress that revealed the whole of her spine, by far the most tantalizing sight in the room. 

Rey’d managed to elude him the rest of the afternoon, somehow sneaking back into their suite and getting ready without his notice. It was for that reason, and that reason alone, that he stood stunned on the top steps of the drop-down entrance, silently cursing whatever God thought it was fair to create a creature that looked half as stunning as she did. 

It was hardly the first time he’d had the wind knocked out him at the sight of her. She took his breath away far more often than he cared to admit. Still, he liked to think he generally recovered rather quickly. 

But now here he was, ogling her back from across the hotel bar, soaking in the slight curve of her spine as if not memorizing it now it would haunt him the rest of his life. 

 _Get a grip Solo_. _It’s just a back._

But it was _her_ back. And, despite his best efforts, everything about _her_ was utterly enthralling to him. 

His feet carried him to the bar slowly, allowing him to take his time observing her as he approached. 

“You cleaned up well.”

Rey stiffened at the sound of his voice, but didn’t bother to look his way. “You say that like this is the first time you’ve seen me in cocktail attire.”

“Of course it’s not.” Ben leaned against the bar, feeling emboldened, and grabbed her Martini glass, tipping it back with a smirk as she turned to level him with a glare of disbelief. “It’s just the first time we’ve been alone.”

Rey scoffed, grabbing the drink out of his hand. “We are _hardly_ alone.”

“You know what I mean.”

Ben caught the bartender's attention just then, waving him over to order his own poisonous concoction. He didn’t need to be looking at her to feel the ferocity of Rey’s glare, though it wasn’t lost of him that her eyes roved further down than was altogether necessary. 

“What are you playing at Solo?” She pressed as soon as the bartender turned away. 

“I’m not playing at anything. I’m simply paying you a compliment that is long overdue.”

She looked at him hard for only a moment, before her eyes began to sparkle mischievously. 

“Careful Solo.” Rey looked up at him through hooded lids as she lifted her lips to the edge of her glass. A challenge lay between them, almost like she was daring him to try, and his mind wiped blank. “If I didn’t know better, I might think you were flirting with me.”

Grateful for the newly delivered bourbon that had arrived beside him, he lifted the glass to the edge of his mouth, watching as her eyes trailed his movement. Ben threw back the bourbon in one go and turned to face out at the open bar, emboldened by the drink, or by lust, or by something outside his control altogether. 

“Whatever made you think I wasn’t?”

Rey turned to match his stance, both of them looking out at the growing crowd of people gathering in the opulent bar.

“I’m not exactly your type.”

Ben’s head snapped down to her, watching as she took another sip of her drink. If she thought that, it was no ones fault but his own. But as he took in the sight of her, brilliant and beautiful and totally out of reach, he knew that her words were as far from true as they could possibly be.

 _If you only knew_.

“So,” Rey continued, setting her now empty glass down on the bar. “What is our game plan tonight?”

“Well,” Ben started, grateful for a distraction from his wandering thoughts, “I assume we’ll be sitting together at dinner, and it’d be best for us to present a united front.”

“Of course.” Rey nodded.

“But,” Ben continued, taking in the growing number of arrivals, “We’ll do more damage if we split up for now.”

Rey nodded beside him, her eyes trailing along the room with laser focus. “I agree. Divide and conquer.”

“Meet back here before we sit for dinner?” he asked, looking down at her.

“Sounds like a plan.” She slid off her stool without so much as a glance in his direction, providing his first full look at her outfit for the evening. His breath caught in his throat as she sauntered away, deftly lifting a champagne flute from a passing tray and making a beeline for the nearest group of Consortium members, shaking their hands with a smile only he would recognize as anything other than completely genuine. 

He immediately noticed the way every male gaze caressed down her svelte figure, the halter neckline of the tight black dress nothing more than a clever ploy at conservatism. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, while the open back and mid-thigh slit displayed ample amount of her toned, tanned skin. She was equal parts sophisticated and sexy, and while he loathed every man who looked at her, he couldn’t help but appreciate the brilliance of his mother’s play.

If he was the headliner, intended to draw in interest through intrigue, mystery and a famous name, Rey would serve as the distraction, the one that everyone would actually be talking about when all was said and done. Together, they would be irresistible to a group as concerned with image and intrigue as the Hapes Consortium. He should’ve resented Leia for using them both a bait, but he couldn’t blame her really. Underneath the artiface of their appearance lay two people who cared deeply about getting this acquisition and making good on the potential of the Hapes Consortium. In the end it wouldn’t matter how they got there, only that they did. 

“Ah, there you are Mr. Solo.” Their hostess, the woman named Allana, approached from his left, trailed by a man in a crisp grey suit and a wide smile. “I wanted to introduce you to someone. This is Isolder Chume, President of the Hapes Consortium.”

“My eyes must deceive me.” Isolder stepped forward, taking Ben’s hand in a firm handshake. “The world spoke of your return from the dead, but I must admit that it is only in seeing you now that I can fully believe it for myself. What an honor it is to meet you, Mr. Solo.”

“Please.” Ben forced himself to smile, “Call me Ben. And I assure you, the pleasure is all mine. Thank you for inviting us to come to this beautiful place Mr. Chume.”

“Ah, now, my dear boy. You must call me Isolder. And there is no need to flatter.” Isolder shook his head fondly. “As a Skywalker, I am sure that there is no beauty in this world that you have not already seen. We are grateful to be graced with your presence at all.”

Isolder began to walk, Ben keeping up beside him while Allana fell behind. “I will admit that I was surprised to see that it would be you here with us this week. I was expecting your dear mother.”

“I can understand the disappointment.” Ben replied with a smile. “I only hope that you find me a suitable replacement.”

Isolder laughed loudly, patting Ben’s arm. “Please do not misunderstand me. Your mother is merely an old friend. We have something of a history between us, you see. In another world, you may have been _my_ son.” Isolder sighed wistfully before turning to look up at Ben with a hint of mirth. “But alas, that was not meant to be.”

Ben stiffened slightly at the implication. It should’ve come as no surprise that his mother would’ve known other men before his father, but it was something he’d never considered before. Quite frankly, it was something he’d never _wanted_ to consider before. And then there was the fact that she’d never bothered to mention that she had a personal attachment to anyone at the Hapes Consortium. He’d be sure to question her about _that_ rather important omission the next time he spoke to her. 

“No, I am _quite_ excited to have the future of the Skywalker Dynasty here with us for the next few days.” Isolder continued. 

Ben nodded along cordially, spying Rey deep in conversation from across the room. “I hope you find me to be all you hoped for.” he offered, turning to look back down on his host only to notice that his eyes had settled across the room as well, a knowingly smile spreading across his face.

“I’m sure you will be, Mr. Solo. Though I must admit that you were not the only person I was including in that statement.”

Ben’s gaze shot back to Rey, then back to Isolder, suddenly feeling very on edge.

Isolder smirked at him knowingly, taking and admiring look at Rey before placing a hand on Ben’s shoulder. “You’re a lucky man, Ben Solo. I look forward to meeting the future Mrs. Solo.”

“Wha-” Ben stumbled.

“She’s quite beautiful, to be sure. I’d keep an eye out for my associates if I were you.” Isolder looked at him teasingly. 

“I’m sorry, but I’m not sure I-”

“Not to worry though, dear boy.” The man clapped down on Ben’s arm in what was supposed to be a reassuring gesture, though it hardly felt like one in the moment. “From everything I’ve heard, she’s got more than enough brains to keep my boys at bay.”

“I-”

“Sir.” Allana moved forward, breaking up what was turning into a very one-sided conversation. “I apologize for interrupting, but can I steal you for a moment?”

“Of course my dear.” Isolder smiled at his assistant, though it was anything but genuine. “I do apologize Mr. Solo. It has been an absolute delight to meet you. You must promise to introduce me to Miss Niima before the night is through.”

“I- Yes, of course.” Ben nodded. 

“Very good.” Isolder nodded, turning to face him and offering a hand. “Until then.”

Ben returned the firm handshake, forcing a smile. “Until then.”

Isolder moved away, followed closely by Allana whispering in his ear, leaving Ben alone in the middle of the bar to collect himself. Where on Earth Isolder Chume had gotten the idea that he and Rey were a couple was beyond him, though it most assuredly did not come out of nowhere. 

He needed a drink. Maybe even a couple drinks, and he turned on a dime toward the bar to satisfy that requirement as quickly as possible. 

That was when he saw her, stopping on the spot, his heart sinking. She was unmissable. Tall, statuesque, and dressed in a deep blue that emphasized the lightness of her short blonde hair.

Gwendoline Phasma was here. Which meant the First Order was here. Which meant that this deal was no longer as in the bag as he’d thought. He turned to find Rey making a beeline for the bar, the look of displeasure unmistakable on her face. 

Forcing his heartbeat to slow, he followed after her. If Phasma was here, there was a good chance Hux would be too. He could no longer take their plan for granted. If the Scavenger’s life ended at the hands of the amazonian blonde whose entrance sucked the air out of his lungs for all the wrong reasons, then Rey’s was now at risk too. He’d lock her in their suite if he had to, no matter how much of a fight she’d try and put up.

The stakes had just been raised, and there was no more room for distraction.

________________________

Rey would never admit it, but she’d been watching Ben from the corner of her eye from the second she’d left him at the bar, unable to shake the feeling that he was watching her in return. 

He looked downright delicious in the perfectly tailored pinstripe black suit that always managed to suck the breath out of her lungs. She wanted to be irritated by the way he’d swept in all charming and flirtatious, but there was something in the way he looked at her, in the way his voice went soft and his irises blew wide that had her wondering if his words weren’t just a show after all. 

Her conversation with Finn remained at the forefront of her thoughts, haunting her. They _were_ effectively alone here. There were no expectations to uphold, no Leia to keep them from plunging down each other’s throats. Whoever they were here had nothing to do with who they felt the need to be in the walls of the office building they effectively called home. 

So maybe, just maybe, he hadn’t been toying with her after all. 

At least, that was what she’d thought, until she’d turned to find him staring at the imposing blonde form of Gwendoline Phasma, who had just entered the foyer in spectacular fashion.

The woman had nearly killed her, not that she would know that if they had the misfortune of meeting this evening, and her presence put a new and dangerous spin on this whole endeavor. If she was here, then the First Order was also making a bid. The stakes had never been higher.

And yet, her immediate reaction upon seeing Ben’s eyes on the sophisticated blonde, not fear as it should’ve been, but bitter disappointment and jealousy. 

Maybe Poe’s plan to have Ben hook up with Phasma would come to fruition without any interference from the Resistance after all. 

Graciously excusing herself from the conversation she’d been engaged in, she made a beeline for the bar, desperate for something stronger than the champagne she’d been teetotaling. 

She’d barely placed her order when she felt his hulking presence behind her, his familiar musky scent a comfort despite her irritation with him.

“Can I help you?” 

She spun back to glare at Ben, finding him startled by the unexpected ire in her voice. 

“What’d I do now?”

Rey shook her head. “Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

Ben swung his leg over the seat beside her. “Well clearly _that’s_ not true.”

Rey stood there, stubbornly ignoring him as she tapped her fingers impatiently. 

“Rey, if this is about whatever ridiculous rumors...”

She huffed, doing her darndest to ignore the pull of his dark, pleading gaze. “Look, I’m just as upset as you that we have to share a stupid hotel suite, but if you’re planning on bringing any hook-ups back to our room, you’d better think again.”

Ben stared at her, jaw agape. The bartender return a few moments later with her drink, and she grabbed it, spinning around with every intention to leave him there. Instead, his hand wrapped around her wrist lightly, pulling her back to face him.

“Do you honestly think I would do that?” He asked, looking genuinely pained that he even had to ask the question.

“I don’t know, Solo. “ Rey shrugged, desperate to escape from the hold his eyes had on her. “You tell me.”

“I wouldn’t.” He insisted. “I wouldn’t do that to you.”

She shrugged her wrist out of his grip, his eyes falling to her now free hand like he was surprised to find he’d been holding it at all. “Fine. Well, since we’ve established that, why don’t you go find out what she’s doing here?”

“Who?” Ben’s eyes never left hers, his face contorting further into confusion.

“The amazonian blonde you were ogling earlier.” Rey gestured in her general direction. Ben looked out at the crowd to where Phasma stood, mingling with a group of Consortium staff. Rey watched him carefully, noting that his gaze was far from lustful as he took in the woman across the bar. If anything, it was vengeful, angry… possibly even deadly.

“Wait,” Ben turned to her, brows raised. “So this has nothing to do with the rumors that we’re together?”

Rey choked on her drink. “The WHAT?!”

“I have no idea where they started from, but Allana just introduced me to the President of the Hapes Consortium, and he implied…”

Rey’s vision blurred, her mind trying to comprehend the words that just came out of his mouth. She’d been intending to use their single status to their advantage over the next few days, having sorted through the clothing Kaydel packed for her and finding that tonight’s cocktail dress was one of the more conservative options in the bunch. Instead, she’d be fighting an uphill battle against rumors that she’d slept her way to the top.

“You have GOT to be kidding me Solo.”

“Wait, now hold on.” Ben’s hands shot up defensively. “Maybe this isn’t such a bad thing. We might be able to use this to our advantage.”

Rey threw her head back and groaned. “How are we supposed to get an in with Phasma now?”

“Wait,” Ben shot straight in his seat. “You actually _want_ me to go talk to her?”

“No!” Rey snapped up, immediately regretting her words. “I- I just…”

Ben looked at her, brow quirked, studying her for a long moment. “What _do_ you want Rey?”

_You, you insufferable tree trunk._

She turned away, taking a long swig of her drink. “To not be standing here talking to you.” She huffed.

Ben snorted. “I don’t think that’s it.”

She spun back to face him. “And why is that, exactly?”

“Because,” He leaned in, his face now precariously close, drawing her eyes down to his lips as he whispered, “I’m the one person in this room that you don’t have to hide from. So please, don’t lie to me.”

She forced herself to look him in the eyes, her heart beating furiously in her chest. His eyes glimmered, the black of his irises expanding to the point where all evidence of the chocolate brown she found herself dreaming about in her weakest moments was lost. She opened her mouth to answer, watching his eyes fall downward toward her lips for the briefest moment…

“Well I’ll be damned! If it isn’t Ben Solo?” A booming voice slashed the tension in half, as a thick hand clapped down on Ben’s shoulder, forcing him backward. 

Ben quickly masked the look of disgusted recognition that sprung up at the sound of the man’s voice and turned to face the intruder, providing just enough time for Rey to slip away before she too was sucked into what was sure to be an incredibly awkward conversation if Ben’s brief moment of wide-eyed horror was anything to judge by. 

Taking full advantage of the increasingly crowded bar area, Rey slipped between the tower’s marble pillars and out into the gardens she’d scouted out earlier in the day, finally free to activate her earpiece.

“Scavenger, checking in.” She mumbled, heading through the tropical bushes and palm trees toward the dimly lit pool area at the far end of her current pathway. 

“Scavenger!” Poe cried out with an unnecessary amount of enthusiasm. “Man, it is good to hear your voice. I’m going crazy back here with this bunch of bozos.”

“Uh huh.” Rey chuckled, “So date night’s not going well, I take it?”

The line went silent long enough for Rey’s grin to blossom into an uncontrollably broad smile.

“Really guys.” Rose cut in after it became clear that neither Poe nor Finn was going to grace them with an answer. “We are effectively a covert spy organization. Did you really think we weren’t going to find out that you were sleeping together?”

“No.” Finn mumbled guiltily. “We just…”

“Save it fellas.” Kaydel chimed in. “We are happy for you. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s about damn time.”

“Seriously.” Rose agreed, as Rey’s eyes roved over the darkness of the path. “We _all_ lost money on how long it would take for you two to finally get your act together.”

“Yeah yeah yeah.” Poe replied snarkily. “Well, now that the cats out of the bag, why don’t we get back to the task at hand? Otherwise, I’d like to return to my previously scheduled date night with Chief Jim Hopper.”

Finn groaned over the com, but Rey could only laugh. “Good call Starpilot. Since you’re all online, I’m assuming my feeds are up and running?”

“Yes.” Rose replied. “Nice work Scavenger. We’ve been keeping tabs on what we can all night.”

“And?” Rey pressed, lifting up the gate to enter the pool area. 

“Well, I’m sure you already noticed that Amazon is around.”

Rey huffed. “How could I not?”

“Yes well, unfortunately, it seems that she’s not alone. Ginger is with her too.”

Rey stopped her stroll around the pool, one leg dangling over the edge. “He is?”

“Yes.” Rose confirmed. “And actually, now that I say that, Rey, you need to turn -”

“Well look what we have here.” 

Every hair on Rey’s body went stiff as a coldness engulfed her. She turned slowly, finding herself face to face with one Armitage Hux. He looked as greasily dapper as he had that night at the gala, his red hair slicked back against his pale skin. The hints of the black eye Ben had given him were still present, as was the kink in his still broken nose.

“I was not expecting to see you here this evening my darling.” The man purred, stepping in closer as she backed away from the edge of the pool. “Though I will not pretend it’s not a welcome surprise.”

“Mr. Hux is it?” Rey answered, hoping she was convincingly coy.

Hux smirked connivingly. “Don’t play dumb with me Miss Niima. You know quite well who I am.”

“Perhaps I do.” Rey replied smoothly, taking another large step back as he moved in. “Though if I recall, I never did get around to giving you _my_ name.”

“You didn’t have to.” Hux continued, her legs catching on the edge of a lawn chair, effectively stopping her in her tracks. “I make a habit of discovering the names of all the beautiful woman in my city. Particularly those who manage to evade me.”

Hux stepped in closer, lifting his hand to her chin and tilting her face upward.

“ _Your_ city?” She questioned, slipping her hand carefully down the side of her dress, where a small knife lay hidden on a holster atop her thigh. 

“Oh yes.” Hux pressed on, lifting her face within a hair's breadth of his lips. “Though, as a slave to the Skywalkers, I can understand why you may find that somewhat confusing.”

“Hmm.” Rey hummed, jerking her face out her hand as she slipped knife out of the holster. “Well, I apologize if I’ve caused you any confusion as to my loyalties, but I really must be returning to the hotel. Dinner will be starting soon.”

“Oh?” Hux pressed forward, his body now tight against hers to the point where the only way out was to bend over backwards onto the lawn chair. “I’m quite certain you are delicious enough to keep me satisfied for the evening.”

He leaned in, capturing her face as her hand tightened around the knife, bending her elbow back to get enough momentum to shove. 

“Rey!” Ben’s booming voice split through the calming lap of water in the nearby pool. 

Hux let her go instantly, turning around to face a positively livid Ben Solo and providing just enough cover for her to slip the knife back into its place unnoticed. 

“What the hell Hux?” Ben yelled, stomping around the pool. “Was one beating not enough for you? Or do I need to crush in your whole face before you’ll catch the hint?”

Rey escaped around Hux, moving quickly to catch Ben before he could get any closer to his target. 

“Ben.” She urged, stepping in his path and pressing her hands to his chest. “Ben stop. Let’s not do this now.”

Ben’s eyes flew down to hers, filled with dangerous rage, his chest heaving beneath her hands. “Did he touch you?” He snarled between clenched teeth.

“No.” Rey shook her head fervently. “No, he didn’t touch me. I’m fine. It’s fine. _Please._ ”

Ben’s eyes flew back up to meet Hux who was still standing there a few feet away, a look of amused arrogance lighting up his face. 

“I wondered if the rumors were true.” He sneered, daring to walk closer, his eyes trailing down Rey’s body with undisguised lust. “You were _so_ protective of her at the gala. It struck me as odd, seeing how it goes against everything you try _so hard_ to make everyone believe.”

“Hux.” Rey warned, her voice low and dangerous. “You need to leave. _Now._ ”

Rey’s grip tightened on Ben, feeling his muscles jerk as Hux passed them by, tsk-ing to himself. “It’s a disappointment to be sure. But I do hope you make each other _very_ happy.”

She hated the smile on Hux’s face more than she’d ever hated anything before, and it took all of her willpower not to spin around and knock out a few of his teeth herself. But she held firm, gripping tightly to Ben’s jacket as they both glared at the arrogant red-haired weasel of a man, sauntering out of the pool area and back toward the hotel. 

They remained there in heated silence until Hux was nothing but a distant shadow, Rey’s grip loosening only slightly as she felt Ben’s chest settle. 

“Thank you.” She murmured. “I should’ve been more -”

“You should’ve let me kill him.” He growled, snapping to look down at her, anger brimming in his eyes.

She dropped his lapels instantly, stepping back slightly. “What?”

Ben turned, looking toward the hotel murderously, his hands clenched into tight fists at his side. “From now on, you stick by my side. Do you understand? I don’t care if people talk. If that’s what it takes, then so be it.”

Rey shook her head in disbelief. “Wait… You did _not_ just tell me that I have to…”

“You’re clearly incapable of keeping yourself out of trouble.” Ben snapped, looking back down at her. “It was bad enough with the eyes of every sleazy scumbag on you in that bar. But if Hux is here…”

“ _Oh no_! No no no.” She yelled, storming back toward him in a flurry of anger. “You _do not_ get to tell me what to do. You are _not_ my bodyguard. I am _perfectly_ capable of -”

“Are you!?” Ben stepped toward her, hulking over her dangerously. “Because I’m pretty sure this is not the first time I’ve caught you in this situation!”

“Yes I am!” She threw back, lifting her chin defiantly. “You don’t know me Solo.”

Ben’s expression hardened, staring down at her with fire in his eyes.

“Is that so?” He bit back at her, his tone a strange mix of anger and regret. “I’d say I know enough. At least enough to know you seem to attract the worst types of men like a moth to the flame.”

“Oh like you’re one to talk.” Rey scoffed. “It’s a pity I’m not interested in women. I’m sure you could give me the definitive ranking of every one east of the Marisota.”

“And what if I could?” Ben yelled in frustration “You’re the one who is always yelling at me about how I never keep them around. Has it ever once occurred to you to ask me why that is? Or do you think you know everything about me just because you can read the trash they throw on Page Six?”

Rey scoffed. ”I don’t read that garbage.”

“Oh yeah?” Ben leaned in further, “Then why does it bother you so much who I’m seen out with, huh?”

“I-It doesn’t…” Rey stuttered.

“Oh yes, yes it does.” Ben pushed. “If it didn’t, you wouldn’t bring it up all the goddamn time. But you know what? Those women? The ones you try to use to hurt me? They. Don’t. Matter. To. Me.”

“Exactly!” Rey cried stabbing his chest with her finger and meeting a wall of solid muscle. “That is exactly my point with you! You don’t get to throw other people around and then pretend like you care about me. I’m not some little rag doll that you can pick up and play with at your convenience!”

“No!” He shouted back at her, throwing his hands up in frustration. “You’re absolutely right. You’re not! Unlike all those woman I’ve ‘tossed around’, I _do_ actually know you. You, _Rey Niima,_  have guts, and grit, and a tongue as sharp as a diamond. You have more tenacity in your little finger than most people will ever possess. You’re quite possibly more stubborn than my own mother, and dammit Rey, there is no one in this whole goddamn shit hole of a city that lights up a room the way you do. So don’t you give me this bullshit like you get to tell me who I am or what I feel. I am _allowed_ to care about you. I’m _allowed_ to want to keep you safe. I just need you to stop making it so fucking hard.” 

Rey’s mouth fell open, her eyes flitting between his smoldering gaze and his much too close lips. The energy between them simmered on the edge of explosion. Her back was bent slightly to make way for his towering figure to guard over her, and while she should’ve resented the position that felt eerily similar to the way Hux had just threatened her personal space, with Ben, she almost welcomed it. 

He wouldn’t hurt her. No matter how angry, or how dangerous he appeared, of that she was certain. Ben Solo would never hurt her. He wasn’t capable.

“Hey Rey.” Poe’s voice echoed in her ear. “I really hate to break up this lover’s quarrel of yours, as I can assure you it is by far the most entertaining thing I could’ve watched this evening, but the dinner is about to start.”

Rey continued to stare Ben down as she waited for his eyes to soften, giving him, and herself, the time needed to calm down before she spoke again, softer than before, almost a plea. “We need to go inside.”

Ben looked at her long and hard before he nodded, pulling himself back to a straight position. 

They walked together in heavy silence, the tension so thick she could’ve sliced through it with her knife. He’d said he cared about her. He’d said _a lot_ of things that needed mulling over, if she was honest. She wouldn’t get a lick of sleep tonight, that was for sure. But right now she couldn’t worry about what had sounded dangerously close to a declaration. They had a job to do, and they needed to be on the same page if they weren’t going to blub the whole thing up.

As they approached the door, Rey swallowed, setting her shoulders back and turning to look up at Ben.

“Hey?” 

He looked down at her, expressionless.

“I’m sorry.” She offered, turning to face him. “Let’s just get through this dinner. Then we can figure out the rest. Okay?”

Ben looked at her, seemingly trying to get a read on her face. Whatever he found there must’ve satisfied him, for his eyes softened visibly as he nodded in agreement. She gave him a half-baked smile and began to turn back to the door when he finally spoke.

“Just one thing.” 

She turned back, quirking her brow curiously. “Yes?”

“I…” He cleared his throat, seemingly gathering the courage to get the words off his tongue. “I think we need to stick to this story.” She tilted her head as he reached up to run his hand through his perfectly ruffled waves. “That we’re, you know, _together._ I think it will make all this… easier. If that’s possible.” He mumbled as an afterthought, looking away from her.

Ben was blushing, the nervous energy pulsing off of him both a welcome and unexpected shift from the murderous rage that had been there not a few minutes before. 

“Fine.” She agreed turning to the door and looking back over her shoulder with a sly smile. “But don’t get too comfortable with me on your arm Solo.”

Ben’s eyes snapped up to hers, a newfound light blazing within them. 

“I’m not sure that it’s possible to get comfortable with you Niima.” He replied as he stepped up beside her, holding open the door and gesturing for her to enter, before offering his arm to her as they moved to enter the line for the ballroom they would be dining it. 

She placed her hand on his thick, muscled arm and stepped into place at his side. And as the night wore on, and the drinks kept flowing, she found that she did not mind Ben’s hand falling protectively around her waist, or the way he looked at her proudly whenever she charmed one of their hosts. 

If he dared to mention the way she’d taken his hand as they left the ballroom and didn’t let go until they were back inside their suite, well, that she’d blame on the alcohol. There was no reason to talk about how his presence was like a calming balm on her frayed nerves, or how her confidence sparked with every glance he shot in her direction, knowing that every eye in the room was looking on them with approval rather than disdain. 

It had been easy to pretend to be with him, far easier than it should’ve been. And when she finally forced herself to let his hand go and say goodnight, Rey knew it wasn’t really Ben she was worried about getting too comfortable. 

It was her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Marisota - A river in the Star Wars Universe, in this case used interchangeably with the Mississippi
> 
> Rey's Dress (but imagine it mid-thigh)


	11. Body Talks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Killer Queen - Queen  
> Body Talks - The Struts

He would’ve held her hand forever if she’d let him. The loss of pressure was as painful as being doused with ice water in the midst of a particularly enjoyable dream. 

In a way that’s exactly what it was: a dream. And like all dreams, it had reached its inevitable end. 

A hundred women had entered similar rooms with him if one had, but tonight had been the first time having someone beside him had felt less like a burden and more like a point of pride. 

She’d been positively brilliant all night, shocking him (and their Correllian table mates) by flawlessly flitting between drawling Correllian and her normal accented Basic. She made quick work of the Consortium board member and his partner that rounded out their table, enthralling them in a rousing debate on the virtues of Hapian wine making, and had Isolder booming with laughter mere moments after Ben introduced them following the dessert course.

Rey charmed the President so thoroughly that he’d insisted on introducing them both to his mother, the notoriously hard-lined “Queen Mother” of the Consortium, Ta’a Chume. The elegant elderly woman had eyed them skeptically when they’d approached, but the moment Rey introduced herself in Hapian, the ice queen’s facade broke, and the two had been nearly inseparable since.

“I knew it would take a special woman to wrangle in the notorious Ben Solo.” Isolder ribbed, clapping a hand on Ben’s shoulder as they watched Rey gently escort Ta’a Chume to a nearby seat. “But Miss Niima has exceeded all my expectations.”

Rey chose that moment to glance his way, breaking his heart with a small, shy smile.

“She is something else.” Ben murmured, unable to peel his eyes away.

“She certainly is.” Isolder chuckled, shaking his head. “Makes me wonder what she sees in _you_.” 

That was the thing, wasn’t it? It didn’t take eyes to see how beautiful she was, nor a brain to know she was whip smart. But there was so much more to her than all that. There was no world, not even one where Kylo Ren didn’t exist, where Ben Solo would ever deserve Rey Niima, and the more time he spent with her, the clearer that truth became.

“Yeah.” He replied, tilting his glass back as a distraction from the sinking feeling taking up residence in his gut. “That makes two of us.”

They had been some of the last to leave, with Rey walking Ta’a Chume back to Isolder before returning dutifully to Ben’s side. 

“It has been wonderful to meet you both.” Rey smiled genuinely. “Thank you for a lovely evening.”

“The pleasure is all ours.” Ta’a Chume responded, patting Rey’s hand with a smile. “We look forward to continuing our conversation tomorrow.”

“Enjoy the rest of your night.” Ben smiled pleasantly,  only to stiffen at the sensation of skin gently skimming down his wrist before fingers - _Rey’s_ fingers - threaded between his own.

Isolder presented his arm to his mother before looking back up at the pair of them with a conspiratorial wink. “You too.” Ben felt the blood rush to his cheeks as their hosts turned away, squeezing down on her hand accidentally.

“I’d say that went rather well.” She stated with a proud nod of the head, returning the pressure gently. “I think they like us.”

Ben, still stunned by the warmth of her hand in his, simply nodded, his eyes glued to the space between them. 

“They like _you_ , you mean. Ta’a Chume didn’t spare me a second glance.”

“She’s _incredible.”_ Rey breathed, her admiration for the woman soaking through her tone. “She reminds me a lot of your mother.”

“Oh?” Ben prodded, as they slowly walked out of the room.

“Mhmm.” Rey hummed, swaying slighting on her heels, her other hand coming to rest on his arm. He’d been watching her alcohol intake all night, and while she’d by no means gone overboard, she did appear just tipsy enough. 

Ben couldn’t help the smile that appeared on his face, glancing down at the woman at his side as she yawned widely. “I didn’t know you spoke Correllian.”

Rey shrugged, “There are lots of things you don’t know about me.”

“Evidently so. What about Hapian? I think you single-handedly saved the evening, pulling that trick out of your mystery box of skills.”

Rey shrugged. “I’ve been practicing in my free time.”

“Ah.” Ben replied with a tone of enlightenment. “So _that’s_ what you mumble to yourself in the break room. And here I thought you were simply going mad.”

“Wait, you heard me?!” Rey blanched, her cheeks growing pinker by the second. 

“Oh yeah.” He teased, “Tagget and I had bets on how long it’d take before you cracked.”

Rey’s face scrunched adorably as she bumped her shoulder against his arm. “You’re the worst, you know that.”

“Yeah, I know.”

He half expected her to push him away, but she didn’t. Her hand remained firmly wrapped around his as she let out another dramatic yawn. Ben could only smile, squeezing her hand as he steered them in the direction of the elevator. “Come on.”

They went up the elevator in companionable silence, her hand remaining intertwined in his like it was the most natural thing in the world, and continued that way as he slid the keycard one handed and held the door open for her. She flicked on the light, giving him full view of the way her shoulders fell with a deep sigh. 

A gentle pressure on his palm was her only warning, and then suddenly her fingers were gone. 

“Good night Solo.” She whispered sleepily. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Ben nodded, lips tight, and watched her cross the suite to her own room, closing the door, and the dream along with it.

He was well aware that it was all a rouse, a show put on by the pair of them, playing into the wishes of those they were really here to woo. But for a few brief hours, she’d allowed him a glimpse inside his own fantasies, and now that it was over, the loss of it left him cold. 

A drink. That was what he needed. A drink and a cold shower. Striding over to the kitchenette, Ben threw open the mini bar, pulling out a couple bottles of whatever over-priced liquor was sitting at the ready and entered his own room. His tie, which had doubled as a camera for the evening, was discarded beside his laptop, along with the cufflink microphone. The screen lit up at the brush of his thumb while he put in his earpiece, entering in the signal for his trusted friend and butler to join him online.

“Good evening Master Solo.” Chewie’s voice spoke through the earpiece. “I trust you had a pleasant evening.”

“Pleasant enough.” Ben answered, pulling up the video feed on his computer. “Though it appears we have some unwelcome company.”

“Indeed.” Ben could just imagine the grave nod of Chewie’s head. “I’m patching through room numbers for a Mister Armitage Hux, as well as Miss Gwendoline Phasma. Though it appears they are not the only First Order connections in attendance.”

Ben sighed, running his hand through his hair. “I figured they wouldn’t be. Too much of a risk.” 

“What can I do to help?” 

Ben watched as the video upload bar reached its conclusion. “See what you can find in that tape.” He answered, rising from his seat, grabbing for one of the bottles and heading for the balcony door. “Rey worked her magic tonight, so I think we have the upper hand for the time being. But I need to know who we need to be worried about.”

“Of course.” Chewie replied. “I’ve also hacked into the hotel’s security system, so I’ll have eyes in the conference rooms tomorrow.” 

“Good.” Ben unlocked the sliding door, stepping out into the crisp night air. “That’ll be all for now.”

“Very good Master Solo.” Chewie answered. “And if I may be so bold, may I recommend you try and get some sleep tonight?”

Ben huffed, uncapping the little plastic bottle in his hand. “Yeah, okay.”

“Just a suggestion.”

“Goodnight Chewie.”

Ben pulled out the earpiece, stuffing it into his pocket and lifting the bottle to his lips, swallowing back the entirety of its contents in one gulp. 

It was warmer in Canto Bight than Coruscant, the air heavy and humid. It wasn’t the urban metropolis that he’d grown up in, but he supposed it had its own charms. The lights from the various hotels and casinos lit up like fireflies against a distant backdrop of rocky cliffs, dropping off toward the sea. Music from the nightclubs hummed in the background, the distant smell of seawater mixing with sweat and alcohol to create a distinctly bar-like aroma that drifted up into the night sky. Or maybe that was just him. 

He braved a glance in the direction of Rey’s bedroom window, mere steps away from where he stood now. It was a simple thing, her grabbing for his hand, but no less haunting. How easy would it be to walk over there now. To knock on her door and wrap his arms around her and beg for it all to be real. 

Nope. That thought had to stop, _now_. Even if Rey _didn’t_ smack him silly for the mere suggestion - which she absolutely would - there was nothing that could come of it. It was a heartbreak waiting to happen, and there was no amount of mini-bar liquor would ever make _that_ a good idea. 

Ben sighed, dropping his head back and sucking in a deep breath of air, focusing on slowing his heart rate. Chewie had a point. He really should make at least a half-hearted attempt to sleep. Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he turned on a dime, ready to return to his lonely bed, when something caught his eye.

There, scaling the far side of the hotel, was a familiar leather clad figure. Ben shot over to the edge of the balcony, certain the alcohol must’ve gone to his head. He rubbed his eyes, squinting to follow the movements. She landed gracefully on a balcony a few moments later, turning back briefly before sliding open the door to a dark room and slipping inside. 

Ben’s heart rate spiked, relief pouring through him. The Scavenger was alive. And she was _here_.

It didn’t take more than a moment for the thrill to turn to suspicion. The Scavenger was in Canto Bight at the same time they were. That couldn’t be a coincidence, and there were already one too many threats residing inside their hotel for his comfort.

Without a second thought, he bolted back into his room, grabbing his suit and shoving his mask over his face. Sleep would have to wait.

It was time for Kylo Ren to come out to play.

________________________

“You’re clear Scavenger. Ginger and Amazon are still down at the bar.”

“Thanks Hacker.” Rey whispered, grabbing for the balcony. She slipped over the edge, looking into the room to find it dark and unoccupied, just as Rose reported. Then she pulled out the little magnetic lock pick Rose had added to her suitcase, setting it over the door lock and flipping it, before sliding the door open and slipping inside. 

She wasted no time getting to work. Hux’s room was not a suite like the one she and Ben had been put up in, which would make bugging the place far simpler. Microscopic cameras were placed in all four corners of the room, with one additional one going in the closet. The microphones went elsewhere, one under the bed, one behind the television, in the plant by the window, and in the pockets of each of the suits he had hanging in the closet. 

The last piece was the suitcase, the only place she could hide the tracking device where he wasn’t likely to find it. She pushed aside his personal effects until the bottom of the fabric was revealed, and brandishing her slim blade, she began to slice open a corner.

“Whatcha got there?”

Rey jumped, nearly slicing off her finger in the process. “ _Kriff._ ” She fumed, spinning down into a crouching defensive position. “Who’s there? Show yourself.”

A large shadow moved from its hiding place in the dark, revealing the black and silver mask that matched the distorted voice. 

“ _Ren_.” Rey hissed. “What the hell are _you_ doing here?”

“I should ask you the same thing.” He said, stepping further out of the shadows, his huge, imposing body taking up a ridiculous amount of space in the suddenly cramped room. “A bit far away from the Undercity, aren’t we?”

Rey backed away, keeping low. “What do you want?” 

Ren moved in, trapping her further inside the room. “To know what possessed you to leave the streets of Coruscant to their own devices while you sneak around Canto Bight.” 

“That’s none of your business.” She spat at him furiously. 

“Isn’t it?” His head quirked to the side, curiously. “Because it seems an odd coincidence that we’d both be here tonight.” 

Rey looked back to find the wall approaching far too quickly, while Kylo Ren continued his approach, towering over her menacingly. Her mind was running a million miles a minute, planning for the attack she knew would eventually come. He was stronger than she was, certainly, but she was quicker and he had far more body mass to make use of…

“I thought you died, you know.” 

Rey froze. Even through the distortion of his mask, she could hear the change in his voice, the relief palpable. “You… what?”

“I saw you fall from that building.” He continued, taking another step closer. “I thought you didn’t make it.”

Rey’s mouth fell open, staring at the masked man in front of her. “W-why… how did you know…”

“I was watching Phasma.” He explained. “Seems we have that in common.”

Rey frowned, trying to puzzle it out. “And what? That’s supposed to make me trust you?”

“No.” Ren answered, moving once again until he had Rey pushed against the wall, his hand raised as if he wanted to touch her. “But I’d wager we have a common goal here. Might be worth a try.”

There was a wistfulness to his words, and Rey seized the opportunity to exploit his distraction, catching his hand and twisting it away from her. She swung under his elbow, pressing her hips into his stomach until she had him pressed against the wall, both his hands held above his head in a vice-grip.

She heard his breath catch through the mask, her body slotted tightly against his, both their chests heaving against one another. 

“You’re a slippery one, aren’t you?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

His hips moved beneath her, and she snapped hers back against him, straddling him against the wall. Warmth shot to her core, her face mere inches from his masked one, their bodies tied together in a highly compromising position. She was already on edge from the day she’d spent too near to Ben Solo. Her body was screaming at her to increase the pressure, desperate for release.

“Who are you?” He asked, breathlessly.

“No one.” She replied, her hands tightening on his wrists as he squirmed beneath her.

“No your not.” He shook his head, grinding beneath her so perfectly that she couldn’t help but gasp. “Not to me.” 

 _Fuck_. As if her ovaries weren’t already about to explode. 

He was breathing heavy, the noise strange and distorted behind his voice decoder. Still, she could feel his hardness pressing against her thigh, proof that he was, in fact, human after all.

“Take off your mask.” She breathed, sliding up and down against him, watching with pride as his muscles clenched beneath her. 

“I can’t.” He choked out. 

“What if I say please?” She purred, rubbing closer, increasing the pressure as he groaned beneath her. Her hands slipped away from his wrist slowly, tracing down his thick, rock-solid arms until they came to rest on either side of his head. It was all too similar to the night he’d burst in on her meeting with the Dathomirian. The first time she’d actually interacted with Kylo Ren as Rey. She’d been close to catching him then, but she was closer now. 

Dangerously close.

Her fingers brushed along the release. One small movement and she’d be able to pull away the barrier, revealing the man she’d been chasing after for so long. She breathed in hard, readying herself for whatever she would find, when his gloved hands snapped to her wrists, forcing her back. He moved too fast for her to counteract, and a moment later she found her face pressed against the wall, arms pinned behind her back by one of his huge hands while his other arm caged her in.

“You don’t want to do that.” His voice was low against her ear, his breath hot and heavy against her neck, despite the metal contraption that still sat between their skin. 

“Get _off_ me.” She growled, throwing her hips back into him. He pressed her forward in retaliation, their bodies lining up perfectly against one another. 

“That seems a little hypocritical, don’t you think?” He purred in her ear. 

Rey opened her mouth, ready to throw back a retort, until a voice began to ring out on the other side of the door. They both froze at the sound of the key card activating, and just as quickly as he’d grabbed her, the pressure of Ren’s hold on her disappeared. 

She didn’t waste a second trying to find out where he went. Instead, she flipped herself over the bed and slipped through the still parted sliding door, pushing it shut just as the entryway lights flickered on. 

Hux’s voice was just audible enough for her to hear it muffle as he shut what must’ve been the bathroom door, and she risked the movement to throw herself over the balcony, catching on the edge. 

“Rey?” Roses voice echoed in her ear as she scaled the side of the building. “Rey are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” She whispered, her eyes peeled for any sign of Kylo Ren following behind her. “Just had a little company is all.”

“Yeah, uh… I know.”

Rey froze.

“The cameras are working then, I take it?”

“Not as well as the microphones.”

Rey winced. “Sorry Rosie.”

“No need to apologize to me.” Rose chuckled. “A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Just be glad no one else was on. Kaydel would _never_ let you hear the end of it.”

Rey groaned. “I didn’t get Amazon’s room. What’s her 20?”

“Hang on.” Rose replied, giving Rey a moment to pause, scouring the area for any sign of the tall, dark thorn in her side. For all she knew, he was still in Hux’s room. There was no way he could’ve slipped out the door before she did. But she couldn’t risk him following her back to her room. She would have to duck back into the hotel and find another way. 

“I don’t see her in the lobby anymore.” Rose answered after a moment, “I’d say it’s too risky to finish the job tonight.”

“Damn.” Rey muttered, dropping her head against the wall. “Kylo _Kriffing_ Ren.”

"Seriously though." Rose agreed. "Here we thought it was Leia he was after."

"Looks like we were wrong."

"Can't say I'm disappointed. Though I really don't like that you're on your own. Especially now."

"If he was going to kill me, I think he would've by now." Rey replied, looking down and deciding on her next move. "Not that he hasn't thrown a complete wrench into my plans tonight."

She leaped up, using the gloves to pull herself up to the rooftop and making her way to the stairway door while pulling off her gloves, her whole body tight and irritated.

“Look on the bright side.” Rose said cheerfully, just as Rey was readying herself to round-house kick the door. “You’re probably the only person who can say they almost got off with Kylo Ren.”

The door took the brunt of her sexual frustration, breaking down easily as she kicked it in. Then she was off, peeling down the stairs.

Rey scowled, stopping when she reached their floor. She creaked open the door just enough to see the hallway and, finding it empty, scurried quickly to their suite, swiping open the door as quietly as she could, praying to whatever gods would listen that Ben was asleep in his room, all but throwing herself into her own and falling back against her door with a huff. “You know Rose, it would’ve been better if I’d _actually_ gotten off.” 

“There’s always next time.” Rose offered, her smile audible. “Or, you know, the more logical alternative.”

“And what is that?” Rey snarked, pushing herself off the door and heading to the bathroom. 

“You just cut to the chase and jump Ben.”

Rey froze, her face soap dangling down the edge of fingers as her face lit up like a tomato. “I’m not-”

“Uh, yes. Yes you are.” Rose cut her off. “I watched you two all night. And I know for a fact that even you can’t pull off googly eyes that convincingly.”

“Rose…”

“It’s gonna happen. You know it. He knows it. Leia sure as _hell_ knows it.”

“Aaaand that’s where I cut you off.”

“Oh come on Rey. The sexual tension -” 

Rey pulled out the earpiece and slammed it down on the marble vanity, cutting off Rose’s words and effectively muting whatever truth lay within them. It was late - very late if the clock was in fact working.  And she was supposed to be up and at it, ready to take on the world and take down the First Order competition in a few increasingly short hours. 

She took one look in the mirror, let out a deep sigh, and then turned to face the shared wall between her room and Ben’s.

“This is all your fault.” She growled. “You and that stupid, tailored suit and your stupid, perfect hair.”

Her anger was met with silence, as she knew it would be. And it was in that silence that she forced herself to her bed and under the covers, knowing full well that no amount of sheep counting would possibly put her to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've got a crazy couple weeks coming up, so it's looking as if the next update may not come until Sept. 15th :( 
> 
> But as always, your support means everything, and the more I hear from you, the faster I pump out words - trust me, it's science.


	12. Ready Set Let's Go

The morning got off to a strange start. 

After a night of tossing and turning, Rey rose before the sun only to find a light peaking through from below Ben’s door. That was sign number one that something was off. Ben wasn’t an early riser. At least, not based on the time he typically arrived at the office every morning. 

Sign number two came in the form of a strange older gentleman whom she met while grabbing her morning tea in the lobby.

There was a table in the corner covered in assorted coffee flavors, hot water dispensers and tea bags. She’d scouted it out while exploring the hotel the day before, appreciating the improved quality of tea options from those left in their room in case desperate times struck. 

The man was already there when she approached, grabbing two of the largest cups available and filling the first with the darkest brew she saw. Ben would probably appreciate the gesture, and after last night’s strange shift in tension, she figured it was the least she could give by way of a peace offering before they headed into the mouth of the beast together. 

She was securing the lid to the coffee when a splash of scalding water landed on her foot, followed by a grunt from the gentleman standing beside her.

“Oh, I’m so sorry.” He sputtered, bending over the grab the cup he’d dropped. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” She replied, grabbing some napkins from the table and crouching down to help him. “Here.”

“Thank you.” He said, taking some of the napkins from her hand and soaking up the boiling water from the marble floor. “Most days I’m able to convince myself I’m still a spry young man, but here lies the evidence to the contrary.”

“Nonsense.” Rey smiled, “It happens to the best of us.”

She looked up and met the man’s kind blue eyes for the first time, noting the graying beard and kind looking face. There was something familiar about him, like she’d seen his face before, though where she couldn’t say. 

“Well,” The man stood, offering her his hand. “Thank you for your help. It was lovely to meet you..”

She reached out, returning the handshake firmly. “You as well.”

“Next time I will try not to burn you.” He smiled at her before turning away from the table without a drink in hand.

“Wait!” She called after him, “What about your tea?”

“Oh that’s alright. I don’t think I need it after all.” The man waved his hand dismissively, stopping only to turn back with an eerily familiar twinkle in his eye. “Good luck today Miss.”

“I…” Rey stuttered, watching as the man dropped his hands into his pockets and strolled out of the lobby, leaving her standing there stupefied. There was something strange about the man, from the familiar gleam in his gaze, to his ominous and knowing final words, and as she turned back to grab a bag of Earl Grey, she couldn’t help but feel as though the chance encounter had been anything but accidental. 

By the time she returned to their room, Ben had shoved himself into one of the sitting room chairs, looking thoroughly disgruntled and woefully sleep-deprived.

“Good morning.” She offered cordially, walking across the room to place the cup on the table in front of him. “I thought you might like some coffee.”

“Hmmm?” He hummed, looking up from his laptop disorientedly and giving her the first real look at his face. He had dark circles under his eyes, further evidence of a sleepless night, and his thick hair was sticking up all over, a drastic change from the typical perfect coif he usually sported. 

“Jeez Solo. You look like shit.”

He grunted as his eyes snapped up to hers. “ _Thanks_.”

“I’m serious.” She sat down on the coffee table in front of him, reaching toward his face instinctively. He flinched when her fingers came to rest upon his cheek, his eyes growing wide with surprise.

“What are you doing?” He asked as she leaned closer, inspecting the pallor of his skin. 

“Did you get any sleep last night?” She asked, genuinely concerned by what she found there.

He turned away, forcing her to drop her hand from his face. ‘What are you, my mother?”

“No, I just…”

“I’m fine.” He snapped, pushing himself up from his chair and throwing his computer down on the now empty seat. “Excuse me.”

He pushed past her, leaving her sitting awkwardly on the edge of the table.

“Wait!” She called after him, grabbing the coffee cup and jumping up to follow after him. He stopped abruptly, though he did not turn around.

“What?” He muttered, his shoulders tensing visibly.

She approached slowly, keeping her distance as she held the coffee cup out in front of her. “You forgot your coffee.”

He turned slowly, eyeing the cup, before looking up at her. There was something in his eyes, something distant and sad and confusing. 

“Thanks.” He murmured quietly, gently taking the cup from her hand.

“You’re welcome.” She replied, her tone softening as she took in his pitiful form. “I’ll, uh… I’ll be out here, when you’re done. We can go over the presentation one more time.”

Ben just nodded, turning to head into his room. Rey watched as the door shut behind him gently. This was sign number three that something was woefully out of step. Ben never showed weakness, but this morning it was as if his mind was somewhere else entirely. He looked like he’d taken a beating, which she couldn’t quite understand. 

Sure, their meeting today was a big deal. A lot was on the line. But this was hardly Ben’s first rodeo. It seemed highly unlikely that he was this strung up about their presentation, which begged the question of what exactly he was strung up about. Sure, she’d gotten next to no sleep herself, but that was because she’d been out running ops all night. He didn’t have that excuse. 

Wearily, Rey went to her room to grab her own computer and returned to settle herself on the couch, pulling up their deck and running through the slides once more. She couldn’t focus on the numbers though, her mind too busy worrying about the man on the other side of the door, say nothing of the strange man she’d met downstairs, or the fact that the First Order was prowling around and she’d only managed to bug half the rooms she needed to thanks to Kylo Ren’s unwelcome intrusion.

That was another problem. What was Kylo Ren doing in Canto Bight? And what had she been thinking jumping him like that? After trying and failing to settle herself, she’d finally given in to her body’s desperate ache last night, her fingers finding their way below her waist, granting some relief from the tension brought out by her tryst with the masked vigilante. 

Ever since the first night she’d encountered Kylo Ren as Rey Niima, the night he’d burst into that godforsaken hotel room and jumped out the window to save her from certain death, she’d tried to tell herself that she wanted to know who he was. Poe said it was imperative. Finn wanted her to place a tracker on him the next time she ran across him in the streets.

It was easy to tell herself that she wanted to know too. He who operated in the shadows, a lone wolf on a mission with a goal as mysterious as the man. But as she’d closed her eyes last night, her back arching as her release ran through her, it wasn’t some strangers face that came to mind. It wasn’t some perfect vision of a man she conjured up in her fantasies. It was Ben’s face, his dark hair falling loose as she lifted the black and silver mask off in her mind. It was Ben’s voice that echoed in her ears, his lips that brushed against her jawline, his eyes that bore into hers like molten lava. 

And perhaps that was what scared her most of all; perhaps it was why she’d never fought harder to discover who Ren was, even in the moments when she’d been so close. It was why that tracker had never found its way onto his thick black suit, and why she’d always hesitated just long enough for him to stop her from pulling the mask over his head and reveal his true face.

She didn’t really _want_ to know. As long as his identity remained a mystery, she could pretend. Kylo Ren could be whoever she wanted him to be, a safety net against the growing ache in her chest every time she was reminded that the man she wanted most was impossibly out of reach. 

Ben opened his door then, as if summoned by her wayward thoughts. His hair was towel dried and messy in a way that made her stomach flutter, but at least the bags under his eyes had faded slightly. 

“Alright.” He said with his normal amount of vigor, crossing the room to take his place on the chair he’d occupied earlier like a brand new man. “We’ve got about an hour before this opening ceremony we have to go to, and then our slot is about an hour after that’s expected to end.”

Rey nodded, flipping around her laptop and handing it to him, forcing her eyes away from the unnecessarily thick thigh muscles she spotted inside the basketball shorts he’d thrown on. “I made one more edit to your slide. The one on the proposed transition timeline.”

They went back and forth like that for a bit, running over each of the slides with a fine toothed comb one last time before they split up to finish getting dressed for the day. She’d pulled out her favorite burgundy turtleneck, slipping it on before layering over her trusty black blazer and matching pencil skirt. When at last she exited her room, she found Ben waiting for her, dressed in his own sleek black suit and, ironically, a matching burgundy tie.

“Well that’s not going to look planned at all.” She shook her head, crossing the room to grab her laptop off the couch and slip it into her bag.

“I think we look coordinated.” Ben replied, gesturing for her to exit as the held the door open. “Besides, no one’s going to care what I look like with you in the room.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Sure you don’t.” He murmured, keeping stride beside her. Her neck snapped up to look at him, only to find a smug smirk plastered to his face.

Isolder’s presentation on the Hapes Consortium’s history and purpose was as flashy as expected, complete with lights dropping dramatically and videos with soundtracks to rival the most epic of movie scores. Somehow her nerves remained at bay, cajoled into staying silent by the genuine laughter elicited by Isolder’s jokes, and the feel of Ben’s body shaking as he chuckled beside her. At one point, in the midst of one of the many videos the Consortium put together, his arm had slipped across the back of her chair. She risked a glance in his direction and found him focused on the stage, seemingly oblivious to the fact that his arm now cocooned her closer to him. He wasn’t even technically touching her, but as she took in the sight of his amused face, lit up by the glow of the stage lights, she allowed herself to relax into him. 

It was a relief, having him there. She still felt on edge, her instincts telling her something was amiss, but his presence at her side made a noticeable impact on her nerves. One which she could not allow to get the better of her, her guard needing to stay up no matter whose arms cradled her into a false sense of safety. 

At the conclusion of the presentation they’d both stood, chatting with those they’d met briefly the night before. He stayed close to her still, though his arm never strayed in her direction again. The hour between the main speech and their presentation passed by with more networking, until they stood in front of the dark maple doors, the moment of truth finally upon them.

“Hey.” Ben said, reaching for her hand that had fisted reflexively at her side. “We’ve got this.”

Rey looked down at their intertwined hands, surprised by the gesture. 

“You’re not alone.” He promised, squeezing her hand in reassurance.

“I know.” She replied with a nod, taking in a deep breath and releasing it as a sigh. “Neither are you.”

His lips curved up into a smile, his head bowing into a nod, and then he released her hand to push open the door, where the Hapes Consortium waited patiently on the other side.

____________________________

They stood side by side as their presentation drew to a close. The board of the Hapes Consortium had been attentive listeners. Those who were not taking active notes kept their eyes on them throughout the presentation. Not one looked to their phone or checked their watch. They’d had an answer to every question, a bunt ready for every curve ball. Where she faltered, Ben stepped in smoothly. Neither overtook the other, allowing each to shine where they were best suited. 

And by the end, she couldn’t help but smile, watching Ben conclude what could only be considered a highly successful meeting.

“You all have a great deal to consider.” He said, as she stood by his side “But I hope you see how excited we are about the prospect of working with you. This may come as a shock,” he looked toward Rey with a smile, “But it’s not everyday that Miss Niima gets this worked-up about a potential partnership.”

“That’s true.” She nodded. “Really it is.”

The room laughed as he looked up at her with fondness in his eyes. 

“Together, we believe that we can change the world.” Ben concluded, looking out at the table. “And we hope that you feel the same.”

“Well said.” Isolder nodded, the smile that had been plastered on his face growing wider as he stood. “You’ve certainly given us a great deal to think about, and everyone else a difficult act to follow.”

The rest of the table stood as well, nodding in agreement as they each came around to shake both she and Ben’s hands.

It was another ten minutes of mingling before Rey said goodbye to the final board member, turning to exit out the door that Ben held open for her.

They headed away from the conference room in silence, until Rey turned them down a deserted hallway and paused to let out a deep sigh of relief.

“Well…” She started, watching him carefully, trying to gauge his reaction. “I thought that went pretty well. Don’t you?”

She waited with bated breath for his response, and was jarred when he grabbed her waist, lifting her up into a spinning hug.

“Solo!” She cried out in surprise, a smile blooming on her face as she tightened her grip on his broad shoulders, holding on for dear life as he spun her around. 

“You were brilliant!” He exclaimed with a laugh. “Absolutely brilliant.”

A rush of pride ran through her at the earnestness of his words. It was rare for him to offer praise of any kind. Most of his compliments were backhanded when they came at all. She’d never seen him like this, with pride bursting from him like a balloon ready to pop.

“Do you think it’ll be enough?” She asked as he set her down, “We have no idea what the other offers are…”

“It doesn’t matter.” He shook his head. “If the First Order offers more money, which I doubt, I’ll convince the board to top it. And even if they do, there’s no way they will have wooed them the way you did. Absolutely no way.”

Rey flushed at his words, shaking her head. “ _You_ saved the day, you know. With your pricing switch there in the middle. I would’ve completely jumbled that.”

Ben just shook his head. “I’m not taking credit for this one Rey. If we win this, it was all you.”

Rey beamed, unable to stop the heat from rising in her cheeks as she looked up at him. There was something unspoken between them, something that could no longer be blamed on alcohol or role play. She watched as his eyes drifted to her lips, his own pulled up into a rare smile that made them all the more enticing. 

She found herself leaning in, her lips parting as his seemed to inch closer. She looked up, meeting his eyes with uncertainty, only to have the moment ruined by voices in the distance, reminding them that they were hardly alone. Rey coughed awkwardly, stepping back from him and turning away.

“We should… um...”

“Right.” He nodded stiffly, running a hand through his hair in the gesture she’d come to know as his nervous tick. “After you then?”

Rey nodded, walking out of the hall with him on her heels, making their way back to the elevator. 

“We should probably call your mother.” She offered once the doors had closed on them. “She’ll want to know how it went.”

“Good idea.” He nodded, before drifting into silence once more. 

By the time they returned to their hotel room, Rey had the distinct feeling that Ben had something more he wanted to say. She went to sit down on the edge of the couch, pulling up Leia’s number and preparing to hit dial, when he stopped. 

“Are you okay?” She asked, her finger hovering over her phone.

“Yeah.” Ben nodded distractedly. She watched him for a moment, his mind working visibly over some apparent dilemma. 

“Okay, well, I’m about to call your mother, so…”

Suddenly, he snapped to. “We should celebrate.”

Rey’s brow quirked. “We don’t even know if we got the deal yet.”

Ben shook his head, coming to sit down across from her. “I know, but still. You can’t honestly tell me you want to go to another one of these dinners tonight, staying locked up in this hotel.”

Rey cocked her head suspiciously. “No, of course not. But aren’t we supposed to…”

“I think we’ve done enough canoodling.” He replied firmly. “Let’s go out tonight. You’ve never been to Canto Bight before, right?”

“No I haven’t. But…”

“Then I’m not letting this hotel be the only thing you see here.” He nodded to himself as if he also needed convincing. “It’ll be my treat, as a thanks for all your hard work. And for putting up with me these last few months.”

Rey frowned, shaking her head. “I’m not sure...”

“Come on.” He urged, leaning in. “My dad brought me here when I was a kid, took me around while my mom worked. There’s a whole side to this city most people never get to see. You can’t tell me that doesn’t sound better than pandering to these people for another night.”

Rey sat up slightly at the mention of Han Solo. Ben rarely ever talked about his father, the man she had looked up to as the closest thing to one she’d ever known. The few times he ever came up around Ben, he always grew stiff and distant. But not this time. This time he seemed eager, like he wanted to share this part of himself with her, a strange shift from the way she always seemed to learn about him by accident. 

“You’re sure?” She questioned. “It won’t look bad if we don’t show up to this dinner tonight?”

“I’m sure.” He replied firmly. “Besides, they all think we’re dating. It won’t be a hard sell to tell them I wanted to take you out on a date.”

Rey shot stiff at the words. “And is that what you’re doing? Taking me out on a date?”

Ben’s mouth fell open slightly, as if he hadn’t meant for the words to come out that way. “It… uh… well, no. No it’s not a date. It’s just two co-workers going out to celebrate a job well done.”

Rey eyed him for a moment, noting the flush growing on his cheeks. This seemed like a terrible idea really. Especially considering that she really should’ve been spending the evening completing the bug job she’d failed to finish the night before. But he looked so earnest, and the truth was that she really didn’t want to spend another evening groveling. 

“Fine.” She replied finally, watching as his shoulders relaxed and his eyes softened. “Now I’m calling Leia.”

He tried to hide his smile, but she noticed the way his lips curved up all the same, causing her stomach to somersault and her heart rate to jump. 

After a dial tone or two, Leia’s voice came through the speaker on her phone. “Hey Rey. Is Ben with you?

“Yes he is.” She answered as Ben chimed in with a “Hi Mom.”

“Oh good.” Leia continued. “How’d it go?”

“It went well.” He answered, looking up to meeting her eyes with a smile so genuine she thought her heart might stop. “Really, really well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that took waaaay longer than I intended. But we're back in action now! For those of you still following along, I thank you for your patience and support. Trying to get these chapters out in a timely fashion can't definitely be a hindrance on my real life, but knowing that people still care and want to read more makes the added stress worthwhile.


	13. Wish you were gay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Rey Niima tries to contend with her complicated history with Ben.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is folks. After many months and forward plot momentum, I bring you the 9,000+ word ode to Rey's infatuation with Ben Solo (see Chapter 6 for a refresher on Ben's).
> 
> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> wish you were gay - Billie Eilish  
> Truth Is - Sabrina Claudio

A childhood spent scavenging through garbage cans in a desperate search for ones next meal left its mark on a person. Rey would be the first to admit that, and she had to the few people who had ever bothered to ask. What she was less forthcoming about were the other deep-seated scars left behind from her ‘street rat’ upbringing. They presented themselves more or less like lessons, mantras that served as a guide to keep her from making the same mistakes more than once. 

The first was that you could never rely on anyone but yourself. By the time Han Solo came into her life, she’d been abandoned by more people than she could count. The few people who had promised to take care of her always disappeared, time and time again. Some were lost to drugs, others to violence. A few simply vanished into thin air without explanation. There was no evidence that Han wouldn’t go the way everyone else had. It was for that reason that she hadn’t gone home with him whenever he offered. At least, that was what she told herself whenever she woke in the middle of the night, hating herself for the life she could’ve had but had been too afraid to accept. 

The second was that trust had to be earned, and once lost, never returned. She’d been taken advantage of one too many times, the adults around her using her youth and naïveté to trick her with false promises of affection, only to turn around and rob her the moment she looked away, or beat her bloody when she didn’t give out in exchange for food or shelter. She’d been too forgiving in the beginning, desperate for any semblance of stability. That didn’t last long, though. There were no second chances with Rey. One betrayal was one too many, and there was no room for forgiveness when the stakes were life or death. 

The third - and arguably the most important - was that love was unavoidable, as was the pain that came with it. It would creep up on you when least expected, drown you in its dark depths only to throw you back up like the bottle of liquor you downed in a futile attempt to deny it. She was sure she must’ve loved her parents, but that didn’t stop them from abandoning her. She’d loved the old woman who’d taught her how to read and write, only to watch her wither away to nothing. She’d loved the puppy she’d cared for when she first joined Unkar Plutt’s gang, only to see it killed as punishment for stealing food. In her own childish way, she’d even loved Han Solo, only to watch his fate become the same as all the rest. 

For a long time she’d believed herself to be cursed. Everything she touched either left her or died. She was on her own, a fact that the lessons only reinforced. And so what had started out as a way to keep herself from getting hurt had morphed into a brick wall of sorts, a necessary thing for someone whose life had been as turbulent and as hers had. 

It wasn’t until Finn that she’d ever even considered calling someone a friend, and when she finally did come around to the idea, it was only because he’d been so flipping relentless about it. He was the first person to successfully scale her carefully erected walls. Leia followed in time. Rose got there eventually too, as did Poe and Kaydel and even Chewie. They became the family she’d never had, forming a new sort of wall around her. One that was shorter, with less pinpricks and archers and traps.

She never stopped being weary, or loosened her stance on forgiveness and trust. It was just that, for the first time, she’d allowed herself to care about someone other than herself and it hadn’t come back to hurt her. Her friends made her feel safe, and with that safety came a willingness to allow others the once impossible chance to earn her trust too. 

Then Ben Solo came crashing into her life.

From the moment he left that stupid cup of tea on her desk, she knew he was going to be a problem. He was always _around_. It was as if he’d maneuvered his way into every single one of her meetings, and he had an uncanny habit of entering the break room whenever _she_ was in there. He hardly even acknowledged her. He was just _there_. _All the time_. Like a ghost or something. A ghost with beautiful hair and luscious, pouty lips and suits that seemed to be made for the precise purpose of emphasizing just how obnoxiously _big_ he was. 

It wasn’t fair. He’d gone from elusive to ever present, never giving her brain a chance to settle down from the whiplash.

Things only got worse when Leia started insisting they both join her for “family” dinners on Sunday evenings. It had been an unofficial thing for a while before Ben came back into the picture. Rey had let it slip that she had never learned the first thing about cooking, and Leia, true to form, made it her mission to remedy that. Rey was halfway decent by now, or at least, the food she cooked was 88% likely to be edible. And the Sunday night meal had transformed from an explosion of flour and oil in Leia’s pristine chefs kitchen to a slightly more formal affair that often included friends from around town and members of the Resistance. 

The addition of Ben threw a whole other wrench into the previously relaxing evenings. She’d shown up the first night expecting a larger than normal group to find that she and Ben were the only guests.

It had started out cordial enough. They gathered in the kitchen, taking on various responsibilities until the drinks were poured and the table was set. Then it all started to go to hell.

“This is delicious Leia.” Rey gushed, her food barely down her throat. “What’s it called? I’m going to have to try making it sometime.”

“It’s called risotto.” Leia looked up and smiled as she cut through her meat. “And it’s actually Chewie’s recipe.”

“Mmmm.” Rey moaned in acknowledgement, nodding her head enthusiastically as she scarfed down another spoonful. “I’ll have to ask him to teach me.”

Ben coughed from across the table, forcing her eyes up to find him looking at her like he was watching something appalling. He set his own silverware down in front of him, the picture of proper breeding.

“Remind me again where you’re from Miss Niima.”

The room went deathly silent then, what forks had been in motion suddenly going still.

“Um.” Rey coughed, sitting back and patting her napkin anxiously. “I was born in Jakku.”

Ben nodded, his eyes dropping down to his glass of wine as he reached for it. He brought it up to his lips and hesitated, speaking over the edge. “That’s not what I asked.”

“ _Ben._ ” Leia scolded, shooting daggers at her son. He didn’t even acknowledge his mother, continuing to stare her down from above the glass still waiting precariously against his irritatingly plush lips. She knew exactly what he was doing. It wasn’t the first time one of her new blue-blood compatriots tried to poke holes at her shady past.

Returning her fork to the side of her plate, Rey folded her hands into her lap and sat up straighter. “It’s fine Leia. He has a right to ask.”

His eyes seemed to sparkle as she leveled him with her own glare, issuing a challenge of her own. He took a small sip of the wine and nodded slightly in acknowledgement. “And she has a right not to answer. Though I wouldn’t think she had anything to hide.”

“I don’t.” She replied evenly. “If you must know, I grew up here.”

“Really?” Ben’s brows shot up in false surprise. “What’s with the accent then?”

“Ben, _really.”_ Leia tried again, her hand falling into her lap in distress.

“I picked it up before I left Jakku. Never lost it.”

“Not even in all your schooling?”

“ _Ben_.”

“My schooling was rather unconventional.”

“Was it now? Please, do tell.”

“Let’s just say I didn’t go to a fancy prep school like you.”

“No, I’d daresay I figured that out already.”

“ _Benjamin_!”

He turned to look at Leia then, but not before she caught him glance her way with the slightest hint of a smirk. 

“This is utterly inappropriate.” Leia fumed. “Rey has done nothing to deserve this kind of interrogation.” 

“Interrogation?” He pondered, gesturing toward her with his shoulder. “I’m simply asking Rey about her upbringing. That seems like a perfectly reasonable dinner conversation, especially considering you know her so well already. I’m just trying to catch up.”

Rey watched him carefully, noting the way his eyes never drifted from hers. They weren’t cold exactly. But they were guarded, watchful. He didn’t trust her and he was making it known. It seemed rich coming from the man who still hadn’t told anyone the truth about where he’d run off to for six years, but she couldn’t blame him entirely. If there was to be only one thing they had in common, she’d take a shared sense of protectiveness over his mother.

After that fiasco, it was a while before Leia managed to wrangle Rey into another Sunday dinner, this time a party brimming with local politicians, business leaders and other friends. Rey managed well enough, complimenting Mayor Mothma about her latest initiative to lessen the city’s carbon footprint and inquiring about Judge Akbar’s most recent trip to his ancestral home of Mon Calamari. They were all lovely people and no one ever batted an eye at her presence. Still, she couldn’t help but feel like an outsider in these circles. Even Poe Dameron, her one true friend in the crowd, was a product of this world and therefore totally at ease in it. 

As the evening went on, she found herself gravitating towards the shadow of Leia’s enormous bookshelves, listening to Poe cackle at some joke with Lando Calrissian and Ahsoka Tano from the armrest of Leia’s couch as her eyes scanned over the tomes she longed to run away with.

“That jokes not even that funny.” 

Rey turned at the sound of Ben’s voice, finding him standing beside her at the far side of the room, one arm extended to offer her another glass of wine. 

“How would you know?” She questioned, accepting the glass without meeting his eyes. 

“He only has one good joke.” Ben replied, lifting his own glass and taking a long sip. “And he used it at dinner.” 

“Ah.” Rey nodded sagely. “Yes, that one was quite good.

They fell into an awkward silence, though he didn’t leave her side. She kept her eyes forward, merely glazing over the bindings, her body acutely aware of his towering presence. They’d barely interacted since the tense dinner a few weeks prior, but she felt his eyes on her wherever she went, waiting for her to make a wrong move or prove his suspicions correct. 

“Are you a fan of Dickens?” he murmured, turning to face the bookshelf beside her.

“Huh?” She looked up at him, startled by his voice.

“Charles Dickens.” He tried again, pointing to the book she’d been glaring at in her daze. “Do you like his books?”

“Oh, I… I don’t know. I’ve never read them.” Rey turned back to the bookshelf, blushing. 

Ben hummed thoughtfully. “Do you like to read?”

“Absolutely.” she nodded defensively. It was the one thing she had as a child, sneaking off the library and reading anything she could get her hands on. But she always stayed away from the classics, too afraid that she’d never understand them. They were high-brow and she was anything but. She preferred the lighter stories, of far away lands or magical powers, where she could escape the darkness of real life and become someone else for time. “I love reading.”

“But you’ve never read Dickens?” He said it thoughtfully, for once without derision or scorn. “Interesting. You should give him a try. I think you’d like him.”

“Oh?” Rey turned toward him, surprised by his observation. “Why’s that?”

He didn’t look at her, his eyes still glazing over the books covers. “Just a hunch.”

This time it was Rey that hummed thoughtfully. “I’ll take that into consideration.”

Ben nodded. “If you wish.”

They both turned back toward the crowd them, as if in sync. “I don’t know how your mother does this.” Rey sighed, shaking her head as the hostess flitted around the room like the expert she was.

“Does what?”

“Puts on a show all the time.” Rey gestured toward Leia, who was at the center of a small crowd throwing her body around as she told some story, eliciting uproarious laughter. “She’s exhausted, and she’s running herself ragged. But she won’t slow down, no matter how badly she needs to.”

Ben was silent for a moment, both of them watching his mother from across the room. Finally, he murmured, “No, she won’t.”

She looked up at him, watching him watch Leia. There was something distant in his gaze. A heavy sadness she’d never noticed in him before. Suddenly, he turned toward her. There was no smile, or antagonistic smirk. Simply wide eyes, looking down at her as if there was more he wanted to say. Instead he nodded at her. 

“I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening Miss Niima.”

She watched as he walked away, heading not for the center of the room where everyone else was chatting away, but toward the sanctity of the now empty kitchen, sneaking away unseen by all but her. Something shifted then, though what it was she couldn’t say. All she knew was that the transform fault that was their respective tectonic plates was on the brink of an earthquake, one just waiting for the other to slip ever so slightly, unsure what would result on the other side. 

Things changed after that dinner. He stopped asking her personal questions, and glaring at her from across every conference room. It wasn’t much, but it was something, and it seemed like, maybe, he was starting to trust her. 

Then he found her in her office one night, working far too late on lord knows what. He’d been overcome by the picture on her desk, the one from Christmas the year prior. In her attempt to settle him, she’d confessed to what she thought she never would: she was an orphan. She’d been alone. And rather than pity or scorn, he’d turned around and _thanked_ her. He seemed to understand what it had meant to her, what his mother meant to her, and that made all the difference. It was a side of Ben Solo she never knew existed. One that she thought she might - dare she even think it - actually _like._  

Rey fully expected Leia to keep that next Christmas for herself and her still freshly returned son. So when she’d been called into her office to pick a name out of a mug for a Secret Santa gift exchange, Rey’s mouth had nearly fallen to the floor.

“Wait, you want me to come for Christmas again?”

Leia looked at her like she’d gone mad. “Of course I do. Why on Earth would you think otherwise?”

“I just thought, with Ben home now…”

Leia tisked, shaking her head and rounding her desk to take Rey by the hand. “Rey, I’m going to tell you something, and I want you to hear me. Okay?”

Rey nodded.

“I love my son, and I can’t begin to explain what it means to me that he’s home again. But that does _not_ change how I feel about you. You were _not_ a replacement for him. And you are not less important to me just because he’s back in my life. Do you understand?”

Rey had been unable to speak, her throat growing tight as she held back tears, able to do nothing more than nod.

“Good.” Leia smiled, squeezing Rey’s hand gently, like she so often did when she wanted to comfort her. “Now take a name.”

Christmas Eve dinner was a lively affair, with Leia’s penthouse once again filled with laughter and joy. Chewie let her help with the beef tenderloin, and even gave her free reign over the green bean casserole, which turned out rather well thank you very much. Tins of cookies were destroyed, copious cartons of eggnog consumed, and as the night wore on and the alcohol started to seep in, the party games grew wilder and wilder. 

Due to no small amount of finagling by Leia, Rey’d ended up partnered with Ben for almost all of the games, and it was quickly determined that theirs was a surprisingly good partnership.

“This is crazy!” Poe complained after they’d won yet another round of charades, rocking drunkenly at the edge of his seat. “It’s like you can read each other’s minds.”

“Or maybe we’re just more sober than you.” Ben replied, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. 

“Noooo.” Poe shook his head so fast that he nearly slipped off his chair, serving to emphasize Ben’s point to the amusement of everyone else in the room. “You’re too good.” He continued, oblivious to the snickers of those around him as he stood, wobbling on his feet. “I think you’ve been cheating. You have some kind of secret mind-bond or something.”

Ben laughed, getting up to help his friend stand straight. “Alright hot-shot. I think you’ve had enough for the night. Someone has to get your dad home.”

“And it is not going to be him.” Kes smirked, rising from his own chair and pressing a kiss to Leia’s hand. “Leia, I cannot thank you enough for this wonderful evening, but if I’m going to get my dear son home while he can still walk, it’s going to have to be sooner than later.”

“Aw come on.” Poe slurred, falling against Ben and patting his chest. “Benny boy can get me home. Can’t you Ben? It’ll be like old times.”

“I don’t know what old times you’re talking about.” Ben replied, ruffling Poe’s hair, “But I’m quite certain you’d rather your father not find out about them the night before Christmas.”

Poe’s face scrunched up in embarrassment as the rest of the room laughed. Ben looked her way then, his eyes alight in a way she’d never seen before. It dawned on her that it was the first time she’d seen him truly relaxed, maybe even happy. She returned the smile with one of her own, standing to help drag Poe to the door. 

“Come on Poe.” She punched his shoulder before grabbing the arm that wasn’t hanging over Ben’s shoulder and wrapping it around her own. “I’ll grab you some more cookies for the road.”

“Oh hell yeah.” The man between them straightened, ripping his arms away and heading toward the kitchen while singing “ _All I want for Christmas is Leia Organa’s peanut butter balls_ ” impressively in-tune. 

“I’ve got him.” Ben said lowly, shaking his head fondly as he followed after this friend.

“You sure?” She questioned.

“Yeah.” Ben nodded, tossing a smirk over his shoulder as he walked away. “This is Poe on a good day.”

With that, the remaining guests who would not be spending the night took their cue, and Rey joined Leia, Chewie and Lando in wishing them a Merry Christmas and a safe trip back home. By the time Ben returned, Rey was alone in the kitchen, having sent Leia, Chewie and Lando away to enjoy their evening so she could take care of the dishes.

He swept in a flurry, red-faced and windblown, with flecks of snow in his hair, and made a beeline for what remained of the rum. 

“Did you get the Damerons home alright?” She asked as he downed the glass in one go.

“Eventually.” He grumbled. His light and cheerful mood from earlier had vanished, and so Rey turned back to the glasses she’d been drying, letting silence fall between them. 

She continued on for a few minutes, feeling his eyes on her from where he sat at the island. Once she was done over-drying the china, she picked up a few wine glasses, opened the shelf where they were stored and lifted up on her toes in a pitiful attempt to slide them onto the top shelf.

“Let me help you.” His deep murmur sounded from behind her, causing her to jump and lose her hold on the glass that was angled precariously on the edge of the shelf. Her eyes blew wide as she watched it tumble downward, only to be snatched out of the air at the last second by his enormous hand. 

Rey stepped back, her hand over her now rapidly beating heart, to find herself stuck between the counter and Ben’s body. He replaced the glass easily on its shelf before turning to her and snatching the other two from her hand. 

“Shorty.” He teased, stepping away from her to grab the rest of the glasses. She huffed, recovering herself, and hurried to grab a stack of plates, returning them to their place on a much lower shelf. 

They worked in tandem, with Ben taking all the items that went on hard to reach shelves, and Rey taking the rest. When finally they were done, and the kitchen was returned to it’s spotless pre-party form, Rey finally braved a glance in his direction, turning to look him in the eye for the first time since he’d snuck up behind her.

“Thanks.” She offered quietly.

Ben shrugged, grabbing a cookie off the last remaining plate and taking a bite. After a moment of her standing there, unsure what to do next, he picked up another and offered it to her. Stepping forward cautiously, she took it, biting down with a low moan. She’d helped Leia decorate these cookies a few days prior, but it still shocked her just how good they were. 

When she looked back up, she found Ben’s eyes glued to her, his irises as black as night and his entire body stiff as a board. 

Rey felt her face flush as she swallowed down her cookie and looked away. “I don’t know how your mother managed without you all this time.” She offered in an attempt to cut through the tension, “If I can’t reach those shelves, there's no way she could.”

Ben coughed awkwardly, looking down himself. “Must not have used those glasses much.” He murmured softly, flexing his hand. 

“Right.” She nodded, braving a glance at him. “Well, I think I’m going to go to bed. Goodnight Solo.”

She stepped around him, all but fleeing from the room where he still stood as if in a trace. She was just through the threshold when she his voice carried out behind her.

“Goodnight… Rey.”

It wasn’t the first time he’d addressed her by her birth name, but there was something in the way he said it now that made her heart stop. And as she fell into the warm comforts of Leia’s guest bed that night, her mind wandered down the hall to the room where she knew Ben was sleeping, wondering if the strange twisting in her gut was a sensation he shared. 

The next morning arrived far too soon, and Rey stumbled out of her room clad in the same Christmas themed plaid Leia had gifted her the year prior to find that she was not the first to rise.

Leia was sitting in her usual chair, curled up with a cup of coffee and a newspaper, glasses perched low on her nose. “Merry Christmas, Rey.” She looked up and smiled. “I hope you slept well.”

“I did, thank you.” Rey returned her smile, “Merry Christmas.” 

Rey moved toward the enormous Christmas tree in the corner of the room, placing the box with her Secret Santa gift for Chewie underneath. That was when she noticed another gift, wrapped beautifully in green and silver paper, a thick ribbon finishing off the perfect presentation. The tag was flipped around so she could see it, and there, in beautiful cursive that she knew didn’t belong to Leia, was her name.  

“Gooood morning.” Lando greeted, entering the room clad in a hilariously thick robe. “And Merry Christmas to you beautiful ladies.”

Leia chuckled, shaking her head as Rey replied with a smile. “Merry Christmas Lando.”

“What’s got you up so early?” Leia prodded, not bothering to look up from the paper.

“Oh, you know.” Lando toasted his coffee cup toward the window, “My child-like giddiness at the prospect of Santa’s arrival, the smell of your famous cinnamon rolls wafting in from the kitchen, the desire to see your beautiful face…”

“Your hangover is that bad, huh?”

“Ugh, yes.” Lando groaned, throwing himself down on the couch. “I can’t do it anymore Leia. It’s embarrassing. Han would be so disappointed.”

Leia looked up with a smirk. “He sure would.” 

Rey smiled, getting up from her place by the tree and heading into the kitchen to grab a cup of tea. Lando hadn’t been with them for Christmas the year before, but following a nasty divorce from his fourth wife, Leia had all but insisted he stay with them. She quite liked Lando, finding his flirtations rather charming, despite herself. And if she was honest, she was glad to have more company. Chewie was family to the Solo’s, and with Lando there, she didn’t feel like the only outsider. 

She found Chewie in the kitchen, pulling the tea kettle off the stove and handing her a Santa mug of fresh Earl Grey. They walked back to the living room together, placing bets on how long it would take for Ben to join them, only to find the man in question had already risen. Rey caught a gasp in her throat at the sight of him, dressed in a dark green shirt and long plaid lounge pants, his hair disheveled and a pair of glasses sitting on his nose. She’d never seen him dressed more casually than jeans and a sport coat, so to say she was shocked would be an understatement. 

“Morning.” He offered, looking up from a newspaper of his own. 

“Good morning Master Solo.” Chewie replied cheerfully, moving into the living room and leaving Rey standing there awkwardly as if stunned by the sight of him.

“Rey?” Leia asked after she stood there a moment too long. “You alright?”

“Yes.” She sputtered, squeezing the handle of her mug and moving into the room. “Sorry.”

Ben’s gaze followed her as she moved to sit in a chair in the corner, his eyes seeming to sparkle from behind the rims of his glasses.

Chewie struck up a conversation about some news article with Leia and Lando as Rey turned to look out the window. It was a perfect Christmas scene, with snowflakes falling slowly down onto the streets below. As a child, Rey hated snow. She’d spent too many nights freezing and alone, barely making it through the night without frostbite. But looking out the window now, nuzzled safely in the warmth of the towering penthouse, she started to see its beauty.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Rey turned away from the window to find Ben looking at her from over the top of his newspaper. 

“Snowflakes are kind of amazing, aren’t they?” She replied wistfully, turning back to look out the window at the little flakes that clung to the glass. 

“Yeah.” He answered softly, following her gaze out the window. “I suppose they are.”

Rey turned back to look at him then, feeling suddenly emboldened. “I didn’t know you wore glasses.”

He turned away from the window to meet her gaze. “I usually don’t.”

Rey tilted her head, humming thoughtfully. “You should wear them more often.” She said, nodding to herself, “They look good on you.”

Ben’s mouth fell open, like he wanted to reply but was at a loss for what to say. She almost laughed, about to tease him for the shocked look on his face, when the timer went off in the kitchen, signalling that it was time for breakfast. 

The food was delicious, as always, and the conversation lively. Rey’s sides hurt from all the laughter, her face tired from all the smiling, and if she’d caught Ben staring at her more than a few times, well, that was only the cherry on top. When finally they all returned to the living room to open presents, stuffed the brim and reloaded with fresh caffeinated beverages, Rey settled herself in front of the tree, pulling out gifts to spread around the room. 

“Here you are Lando.” She said, plopping a box that she recognized to be Leia’s handiwork in the man’s lap before turning back to offer Chewie her gift to him. Once Ben and Leia had theirs, she sat back in her spot, pulling out the silver and green package she’d spotted earlier. 

“Alright.” Leia began, “So, as you all know, this is a Secret Santa exchange. And to add an extra layer of fun, you aren’t allowed to say whose name you pulled. Let’s see if we can all guess who had us. Lando, why don’t you go first?”

They all went around in a circle, some gifters more obvious than others. Chewie seemed genuinely thrilled by the autographed jersey of his favorite football player she’d bought for him, tearing up as he threw it on over his pajamas. Leia had laughed to the point of tears when Ben opened his gift, all of them knowing immediately that only Lando would gift his godson something as uncouth as a lifetime membership to the local members-only strip club.

“No but really,” Lando leaned back, reaching into his pocket and tossing a set of keys across the room with a smug grin and a wink as Ben’s whole face turned bright red, “Your actual gift is in the garage. We can try it out later.”

“Way to ruin the surprise Lando.” Leia shot him a playful glare. 

“What?” Lando balked, “Don’t blame me. I received no prior warning that this was going to be a guessing game before wrapping the damn thing.”

Leia shook her head, a smile still plastered to her face, before turning to Rey. “Alright Rey dear. You’re up.”

Rey looked down at the beautifully wrapped box perched in her lap. She’d never seen anything wrapped with such care and she almost didn’t want to ruin it. The box itself was quite heavy, and shaking it did little to reveal what may lay inside. 

She removed the bow and paper carefully, to the point where it could’ve easily been reused if anyone had so desired. The box underneath was nondescript, a simple green thing with no words or branding. She slid off the lid carefully, setting in the ground beside her and pulling back the tissue paper. When she saw what lay inside she gasped, ripping away the rest of the paper and pulling it out as quickly as she could. There, sitting in her lap, was a gorgeous hard-cover collection of the works of Charles Dickens. Her eyes shot to Ben immediately, finding him watching her with wide, almost fearful eyes.

“They’re first editions.” He murmured, his cheeks growing red as he looked down toward her lap, running a hand through his tousled locks. “I thought they’d be a nice addition to your bookshelf. And, you know, a good excuse to give Dickens a try if you haven’t gotten around to it yet.”

“They’re _beautiful._ ” She said, running her hand over the cover of Oliver Twist. “ _Thank you._ ”

“Yeah, uh, you bet.” 

She looked up with a wide smile to find Leia, Chewie and Lando all watching Ben curiously. Hers was the last gift, and at Lando’s prompting they all rose, Rey joining Leia in the kitchen to put together lunch as the men all left for the garage to test out whatever it was that Lando had _actually_ bought for Ben.

As soon as they were alone, Leia cornered her. “So, you seemed to like Ben’s gift.”

Rey looked up from the block of cheese she was slicing, holding back the smile that threatened to take over her face. The fact was, the books were beautiful, by far the most intact set she’d ever laid her hands on. But that wasn’t what was so special about the gift. It was that he’d been paying attention. He’d listened to her, observed her surroundings, and bought something he genuinely wanted her to enjoy. 

“I think they’re beautiful books.” She offered simply, “I’m excited to finally read them.”

She felt Leia’s eyes on her, watching her carefully. “It seems like you two have been getting along better.”

Rey didn’t look up, knowing she’d blush if she met Leia’s eyes. Instead she grabbed the cheese slices and placed them carefully on the tray before grabbing for the box of crackers nearby. “Yes, I daresay we have.”

Leia hummed to herself, letting Rey’s response settle in the air for a moment before responding. 

“Well, I won’t pretend I’m not thrilled to hear it.” She said with an earnestness that made Rey finally look up. “I think you’re good for him.”

“What?” Rey recoiled, “What do you…?”

“I don’t mean anything you don’t want me to.” Leia replied, crossing the kitchen and squeezing her hand, “Just that I’m glad you’re getting along is all. It’s nice to see. And let’s be honest, it makes my life a hell of a lot easier.”

Rey allowed herself to laugh, but it was a tight, forced thing. She’d seen the way Leia looked at Ben that morning, and the way she’d been watching them slay the competition in spectacular fashion during charades the night before. Leia clearly thought something was happening between her and her son, and it put Rey on edge.

There was too much hope in her eyes. Too many unsaid desires. And the truth was that Rey shared them. The Ben Solo she met months before wasn’t the Ben Solo who had nervously bought her a book set for Christmas. And he _was_ a man who managed to consume far too many of her thoughts. 

She wondered, not for the first time, if perhaps they might be friends. She knew Leia certainly wanted them to be. If she was completely honest, it seemed like Leia would’ve loved for them to be even more. But no matter how much Leia felt like family, Ben was still her boss’s son. One day she’d probably be reporting to him, and there was something about that that felt dangerously off-limits. What if it went wrong? What would she be left with then? She could lose her job, her friends, her purpose. 

Wanting Ben Solo was too dangerous, too risky. He was not one of the people who could easily bypass her slightly lowered defenses. With him, her walls needed to shoot sky high, a mote and copious soldiers standing between her heart and his. 

But still, she wondered. Maybe there was something more to this man then she’d first realized. Maybe the smiles across conference room tables and nods of acknowledgement in the halls meant something to him too. 

She left Leia’s on Christmas night with hope in her heart and a stack of books in her hand, genuinely curious about what the new year would bring.

Heartbreak, it turned out, was the answer.

The change happened slowly, then all at once. The gentle smiles were the first thing to go, followed by the casual conversations over the water boiler in the break room. At first she didn’t know what to think of the sudden distance he’d placed between them, taken by surprise when he’d responded to her rave review of Oliver Twist with a mere grunt of disinterest. 

Then she started to notice the magazine headlines and all the puzzle pieces began to fit together. 

As far as Rey knew, Ben hadn’t dated much at all when he first came back to Coruscant, but if the tabloids were anything to go by, it seemed he was determined to make up for that dry spell in the new year.

The thing was, Rey knew that it would never work out between them. She worked for his mother for god sake. Not to mention that she was nowhere near well-bred enough for the heir to the Skywalker fortune. She knew Leia didn’t give a rats ass about any of that, having married a race car driving former smuggler herself. But the external expectations were still there. Not to mention the fact that he couldn’t be trusted. The idea of dating someone who’d just run off for years without a word would be the equivalent of Rey shooting herself in the foot. 

So what if he’d smiled at her, or bought her a nice book set for Christmas? It wasn’t like the child of Leia Organa and Han Solo could possibly be a complete and total prick. They would’ve raised him better than that. That didn’t mean he was boyfriend material. And clearly that wasn’t what he wanted anyway, seeing how he never kept a girl around for more than a date or two.

He was entitled to date whoever he wanted, and it was clear that she was not among those he sought to conquer. Which was good, because she was not that kind of girl, and she certainly did not want to be another notch on his belt. But as the months dragged on and the women piled up, she found herself growing more and more hostile towards him. 

“I just don’t get it.” Rey huffed as she curled herself up on the couch of their apartment one Friday night, her body cocooned in soft pajamas and a thick fuzzy blanket.

“Don’t get what?” Rose inquired, turning on the water in the kitchen to fill up their trusty electric kettle.

“What is he trying to prove anyway? This is what? The fourth girl he’s been seen out with this month? How does he even have time for that?”

Rose moved to place the kettle on its perch, flipping on the switch and grabbing for their favorite mugs. “Are we talking about who I think we’re talking about?”

“If you think we’re talking about Solo, then yes, we are.” Rey grumbled, ripping past the latest picture of Ben holding hands with some skinny blonde. 

“Why do you keep reading that junk anyway?” Rose asked. “All it does it upset you.”

“Upset me?” Rey cried indignantly. “I am _not_ upset.”

“Sure you’re not.” Rose shook her head.

“What? I’m not.” Rey sat up stubbornly. “I’m just… just…”

“Jealous?”

Rey spun to face her friend. “I am _not_ jealous.”

“See but I kinda think you are though.”

Rey scoffed dramatically, whipping her eyes down to the page she’d flipped to, with the picture of Ben leaning down and whispering something in some floozy model’s ear, hating the way the pit in her stomach seemed to widen with every passing second. 

“Well you’re wrong.” She insisted, throwing the magazine to the ground like it hit her. “Ben Solo can do whatever, and whomever, he darn well pleases so long as it doesn’t impact the company. But this looks bad.”

“Does it?” Rose pressed, moving around the couch and placing the two mugs on the coffee table before lifting up the end of the blanket and settling herself on the other side of the couch, her legs spread out beside Rey’s. “If anything, I would think it might help. People have something else to talk about now, so they aren’t hung up on all the conspiracy theories about what he was doing for all those years.”

“Oh sure.” Rey crossed her arms, “Now they’re just talking about _who_ he’s been doing every night for the past few months. That’s _so_ much better _._ ”

“You know,” Rose slouched down, taking a sip of her tea before changing the subject completely. “Poe keeps mentioning this guy from work. He goes by Snap, or something like that.”

“Snap Wexley?”

“Yeah that’s it!”

“Yeah, I know him.” Rey shrugged, “He works with Poe in special projects.”

“Right.” Rose nodded, “What do you think of him?”

Rey tilted her head, trying to recall what she knew of the man. “He seems nice. Sort of quiet. Works well with Poe. Why?”

Rose leaned forward, grabbing Rey’s mug and offering it to her, forcing Rey to drop her arms from across her chest. “Rey, have you ever considered that maybe you should try dating?”

“What!?” Rey cried, nearly dropping the mug as she took it from Rose’s hand. “No. No, I… I don’t have time for that.”

Rose shot her a look. “You might, if you tried to make some.”

Rey sputtered, looking down into her cup of chamomile, suddenly desperate for the much needed peace and tranquility promised on the box.

“Well,” Rose continued, “Poe seems to think that Snap has a thing for you.”

Rey nearly choked on her tea, but Rose continued on, ignoring her coughs. “Leia has that charity fundraiser coming up soon, right? You have to go to that anyway. Why don’t you invite Snap?”

Rey cringed in on herself. It wasn’t that she hadn’t ever dated before, it was just that usually when she went out with men it was part of a mission. She was always trying to get something out of them. She’d never gone on a date for the sole purpose of getting to know someone. 

“I don’t know Rose…”

“That’s too bad, because I do.” Rose set her tea down and leaned across the couch until she was all up in Rey’s space. “Just give him a try. You already sort of know him, right? How bad can it be?”

“Terrible.” Rey muttered under her breath, turning away from her friend and reaching for the remote.

Rose just sighed and shook her head. “You don’t have to be alone forever Rey. You’re too good a catch.” 

Rey wasn’t so sure she agreed, but as it turned out Snap Wexley did. Poe had quite literally peppered her face with kisses when she’d approached him about Snap’s potential interest in her, and he wasted no time at all pressuring him to go talk to her. And so, as of lunch the following Monday, Rey had herself a first date.

They went out to dinner at a nice Asian fusion restaurant she’d heard about, followed by a walk around the nearby park and a stop at the nearby ice cream parlor. It was nice evening, and Snap was easy to talk to and Rey went home with a genuine smile on her face, with Snap having giddily agreed to attend the fundraiser with her the following week. 

So when Friday night rolled around, Rey got all dolled up, strapped on her comfiest stilettos, and slid into the hotel ballroom on Snap’s arm, garnering approving nods from each and every one of her friends, Poe most of all. 

As it was Snap’s first time at one of these events, he was a little awkward, stuttering a bit over his words whenever someone famous, or infamous, passed by. But he did his best, letting her lead the way around the room and shaking everyone’s hand a little too enthusiastically whenever prompted. 

It was all going well, and Rey even found herself relaxing into it, until _he_ showed up. 

“Is that _Asajj Ventress_?” Snap whispered, awestruck.

Rey’s head shot up to the spot Snap was currently ogling to find that it was, in fact, Asajj Ventress, renowned actress and part-time model, slipping down the steps in a downright scandalous black number, hand in hand with an equally dapper Ben Solo. And suddenly all the air was sucked right out of Rey’s lungs, her vision blurring red as she turned away, pulling Snap with her.

“Yes, it would appear that it is.”

“Wow.” Snap breathed, “Solo really knows how to pick ‘em, doesn’t he?”

“Ha.” Rey glared at Snap, whose eyes were still glued to _Ben’_ s date. “Yeah. He sure does.”

“Do you think I’d be able to get an autograph?” Snap continued, oblivious to Rey stewing beside him. “I _loved_ her in Nightsisters.”

“Why don’t you go ask her? Rey snapped, barely withholding an eye roll. “I’m going to get a drink.”

She stormed across the room without a second glance in Ben’s direction, throwing herself onto a bar-stool and ordering a double vodka on the rocks. The bartender returned a few minutes later with her drink, which she threw down with a wince, before order another, desperate to quell the simmering frustration brewing inside her. 

Then, as if summoned by the sheer force of her murderous thoughts, the man of the hour appeared beside her.

“So…” She turned to find Ben Solo looking down at her from his perch at the bar. “Snap Wexley, huh?”

Rey turned away with a huff. “What’s it to you?”

“Oh nothing.” He replied, turning slightly on his elbow. “I’m just a little surprised.”

Rey placed her hand on the edge of the bar, turning to face him. “And why is that?”

Ben shrugged, his eyes glimmering as a smirk curled on the edges of his mouth. “He never struck me as your type.”

“My _type.”_ Rey scoffed. “What would _you_ possibly know about _my type_?”

Ben didn’t respond, turning instead to accept his drink from the bartender with a knowing smirk.

“I’ll have you know that Snap is very nice.”

Rey didn’t know why she felt the need to defend her choice to Ben Solo. Especially when he’d proven to have highly questionable taste himself. Besides, it was only because of him that she was on this stupid date in the first place. Not that she would _ever_ admit that to anyone, least of all him. 

“Hmm.” Ben hummed against the edge of his glass. “Yes, I’m sure he is.”

“And he’s smart and funny and -” 

“And safe.”

Rey spun, mouth agape. “What did you just say?”

Ben set his glass down and stood, further encroaching on her personal boundaries in a way that was altogether unfair. “I said he’s _safe._ ” 

“I… that’s… you’re....”

“I’m right.” Ben replied, relaxing back onto his elbow as she stood there flabbergasted. 

“What does that have to do with anything?” She finally managed. He watched her for a moment, his eyes scanning over her face in search of something she desperately hoped he didn’t find there. 

“Believe it or not Niima, I actually do think you deserve to be happy.” Rey snorted, shaking her head. Then, before she could even contemplate a witty retort, he was leaning in, his lips mere inches from brushing against her ear. “But we both know he’s not enough for you.”

He’d left her standing there at the bar gaping like a broken nutcracker, equally as infuriated by his insinuation as she was thrilled by the whisper of his hot, heady breath against her skin.

She desperately wanted Ben to be wrong. Snap was a _great_ guy. He was sweet, and thoughtful, and nerdy in a good way. He always picked her up on time. He responded to her texts almost instantly. He even shared her love of superhero movies and crappy Chinese food. She was lucky to be with a guy like Snap. Someone stable and committed and.... 

Yeah okay, so he was safe. But safe wasn’t a bad thing. It was ideal really. Desirable even. She’d been living on the edge her whole life. A little stability would be good for her.

But the fact was, it wasn’t Snap she thought of when she lay in bed at night. It wasn’t Snap who made her stomach do somersaults and her heart race and her palms sweat. If anything, kissing him felt more like what she imagined kissing Finn would be like: brotherly and passionless. It was something she did because she thought she should, not because she couldn’t stop herself. 

There were only two men who had ever spawned such a visceral physical reaction from her, and both were anything _but_ safe. 

The first was easy enough to keep inside her wildest fantasies. Kylo Ren was the epitome of dark and mysterious. A tall, dark stranger that rescued her from certain death, whispering her name like a curse in that raspy, modulated voice. It was hot. So hot that she wasn’t entirely sure she hadn’t dreamt it up in the first place. She spent enough time trying to track him down during her waking hours that he was bound to invade her sleeping ones too. She knew the odds of ever finding out who lay behind the mask were next to none, which made her dirty fantasies less embarrassing. 

Ben, on the other hand, was something else entirely. He _plagued_ her. Even the most romantic gestures from Snap never spurned her body to react the way merely brushing shoulders with Ben Solo did. It was _his_ lips she imagined on hers when Snap leaned it, _his_ over-sized hands she pretended were holding hers, _his_ invariably firm chest she imagined using as a pillow as she lay on Snap’s couch to watch a movie. 

It was all _him_. _All the time_. 

Snap didn’t deserve that. No one did. So after two months of trying and failing to get past it, Rey  decided to cut the cord. Snap took it as well as could be expected, though it was clear he hadn’t seen it coming. She’d hoped they could still be friends, and Snap had been kind enough to say the same. But the truth was that he was hurt, and for a while, he wasn’t shy about it. 

And of course, it didn’t take long for Ben to catch on. A week later, He once again managed to be in the break room at the same time she was sitting down to eat lunch. It wasn’t altogether unusual for him to be there at the same time she was. What was not so usual was Snap’s presence. He’d been getting himself a cup of coffee when Ben entered the room, every head turning up at the shadow of the over-sized man. Snap turned from the machine just as Ben approached to fill his own cup and Rey tried to send a smile his way as he moved past her. Instead, Snap ignored her, leaving Ben staring curiously at her, brows raised in some cross between amusement and intrigue.

She looked away as quickly as she could, returning to the absentminded stirring of her hummus and carrots, hoping desperately that Ben would just leave her be. She should’ve known there was a fat chance of that.

Ben pulled out the chair across from her and sat down, taking a loud bite out of an apple he’d somehow acquired and relaxing back into his seat.

“Trouble in paradise?”

Rey looked down, stirring her carrot with more fervor than was altogether necessary. “Like you haven’t already heard.”

“Heard what?” Ben quirked his brow.

Rey sighed, dropping her carrot and replacing her hands in her lap as she looked up at him. “Snap and I broke up.”

“Oh.” Ben looked genuinely surprised, “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Don’t be.” She waved him off, grabbing for her water. “It was my decision.”

Ben swallowed, putting a hand on the table and sliding it toward her. “I hope this wasn’t because of what I said...”

Rey snapped up, her dismay turning to fury on a dime. “Seriously?”

She stood in a huff, grabbing her food and tossing into her lunch box without bothering to close the lids. How _dare_ he insinuate that it had anything to do with him. How _dare_ he act like he had that much sway over her. How _dare_ he know her better than she knew herself. 

“Rey, wait!” Ben jumped up after her. “That’s not…”

“I hate to break it to you Solo,” she spun on her heels, “But not everything in the world revolves around _you_!”

That was the thing though, wasn’t it? It _did_. Everything in her world at least. That was the worst part of it all. She would’ve given anything for him to be nothing more than her boss’s son, or even just a friend. But he wasn’t. 

And then this damn acquisition had come up, forcing them to work together on a secret project that she _knew_ they both cared deeply about. It had been so much easier to bury her feelings under arguments and insults, to throw herself into the streets and beat up thugs rather than face the fact that every night he was out with another woman was another night she would have to face alone. 

But now they were spending those nights together, mining through spreadsheets and research models and financial reports. They agreed about far more than they disagreed, and they worked really, really well together when they put their minds to it. They were so in sync it scared her sometimes, drawing her back to Christmas Eve night, when Poe had accused them of having some kind of bond to read each other's minds. But for every sentence he finished for her, and every proposal he made that she’d also thought of, she was reminded of just how much she didn’t understand him.

She wanted to hate him. As it was, she did hate the way her made her feel; the way he made her think; the way he made her _want_. 

She hated that he had an uncanny knack for picking books that she would inevitably love, or that he’d memorized her dinner order at every local restaurant for all the nights they stayed late at the office working on the proposal. She hated the way he challenged her in every meeting and forced her to explain all of her arguments before he’d even consider agreeing with her, even if she knew he already did. 

She hated that she stayed later at the office just to spend more time with him, and the way he looked at her when he thought she wasn’t looking, his eyes wide and that _stupid_ smirk on his face. She hated the way her heart raced whenever he entered a room, and that she looked for him everywhere she went, as if she honestly hoped he might be there. She hated the way he brought out the worst parts of her, yet so often understood her better than she even understood herself.

But the thing that she hated the most about Ben Solo, the thing that kept her up at night and on edge all day, was that she _didn’t_ hate him. She didn’t hate him at all.

And now she was standing here, staring at herself in the mirror of her hotel bathroom, with Ben waiting for her on the other side. She never should’ve accepted his proposal that they leave the hotel tonight. It was stupid, and reckless, and she really needed to stay and bug the rest of the rooms. But there was something about the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d asked. She couldn’t resist him, no matter how hard she tried.

They were standing on the edge of a precipice now, and she knew all too well what lay on the other side. It was like a car speeding toward the edge of a cliff, the brakes blown out and the doors jammed shut. She knew she had to get out. She knew it would kill her if she didn’t. But her body was frozen, unable, or perhaps unwilling, to take her off course.

“Hey Rey?” His voice came muffled through two sets of doors, “You almost ready?”

“Yeah!” She replied in a pitch so high she hardly even recognized her voice as her own, “I’ll be there in a minute.”

She didn’t want to trust him. She didn’t want to rely on him. She certainly didn’t want to feel anything that even slightly resembled _love_ for him. But as the days passed by, this thing between them grew more and more fraught with undeniable tension, and it became clear that it was inevitable, as was the pain she knew would follow.

With a resigned sigh, Rey took one last look in the mirror and then left the safety of her bathroom, pulling open the door to face down whatever the night brought them, for better or worse.

“Alright Solo,” She started, forcing herself to sound relaxed, “What have you got for me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, so that got weirdly domestic. And where did all that Christmas inspiration come from anyway? It's still 95 degrees where I live. Even so, I hope you enjoyed this detour from our regularly scheduled programming. As always, I live for your feedback and theories. 
> 
> Next time on APBoJ: A perfectly normal night out for two coworkers who are totally not in love with each other or anything... Oh, and if anyone asks, its definitely not a date (yes it is) ;)
> 
> Also, I did a thing and joined [Tumblr](https://altargareyen.tumblr.com/) (eeeep). Come say hi please!


	14. BANG

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This beast of a chapter took WAY longer than intended, and for that I am so sorry. But we are on our way people. Please mind the tags, and note that the rating is likely to change next chapter.
> 
> Also! Come find me on [Tumblr](https://altargareyen.tumblr.com/). I'm a newbie and would love some new friends :) AND I've made a new mood board for what's in store this chapter. 
> 
> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> BANG - TAELA  
> Blow Your Mind (Mwah) - Dua Lipa

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/48900122718/in/dateposted-public/)

“Alright Solo. What have you got for me?”

Ben’s eyes flew up, halting him mid-pace as Rey exited her room. Her hair fell in loose waves across her shoulders, her face painted in simple yet elegant make-up that served only to emphasize her natural beauty. She looked much the same as she always did, which was to say that she looked stunning. But something about the way her simple black dress hugged her body tonight made his mouth go dry. 

He realized a moment too late that he was staring, noting the way she twisted her hands and looked down at her feet nervously. “Is this okay? I didn’t know what to wear, so I just…”

“It’s perfect.” He answered in a rush, “You look beautiful.”

“Oh.” Her eyes shot up to his, a deep flush spreading across her cheeks, “I... um… thank you?”

He silently scolded himself for the fact that his compliment was met with such uncertainty. In a way it meant that all his efforts to distance himself had worked, but it also meant that she trusted him so little that a gesture as simple as a compliment was met with disbelief. The silent war within him flared to life once more, one side insisting that the facade needed to end, the other reminding him what was at stake. 

The truth was, the last 24 hours had been an emotional roller coaster, and he was dangerously close to falling off the rails. Despite the success of their proposal presentation, the true motivation behind his desire to get Rey out of this hotel was his fear that she was not safe. He’d failed to catch the Scavenger the night before, finding himself trapped in a hotel room with Hux instead. What he heard in his short time huddled in the shadows of the man’s room was all the more concerning. Something was amiss, and there was more going on inside their hotel than he’d previously realized. He needed answers, and there was only one person in this city he trusted to get them.

“So, uh…” Rey walked toward him, brushing her hair back behind her ear as she did so. “Where are we going?”

Ben cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus. “I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”

Rey quirked her brow. “A surprise, huh?”

“Yes.” Ben nodded once, “I hope you don’t mind walking a bit.”

Rey looked back down at her feet and then pursed her lips. “I don’t as long as I can change shoes.”

Ben looked down at the quite frankly _dangerous_ looking stilettos that her feet were strapped into and felt a pang of sympathy. “Yeah, _please_ do. Those look like hell.”

Rey laughed as she turned back toward her room. “Okay. Just give me one sec.”

She returned a few moments later in wedges, which she insisted were comfortable despite Ben’s skepticism, and led the way out of their suite. They made their way down to the lobby in comfortable silence, skirting past the various suits and skirts that were all heading into the ballroom for the evening’s cocktail hour. It wasn’t until the cool night air hit their faces, confirming that they had safely navigated their way out of the hotel without being noticed, that Ben breathed a sigh of relief. 

They pushed their way through the crowds on the strip, Rey stopping every so often to marvel at the scene around her. The whole area smelled of smoke, beer, and sea water, but it didn’t seem to bother her in the slightest. He’d stop whenever he noticed her neck twerk upward, letting her take in the sights as his own eyes soaked in the look of wonder on her face. Eventually, they reached the end of the bustling hotel zone, turning instead up a quieter street, into the darkened outskirts of the city. 

“So,” She started, walking in step beside him as he turned them down a quiet sidewalk away from the crowds. “You said you used to come here with your dad?”

“Both parents actually.” Ben confirmed, checking the street before placing his hand on Rey’s back and ushering her to cross. “My mom used to come for work, and my dad liked to tag along and turn it into a bit of a vacation.”

He crossed the street behind her, then pulled her down a quiet alley that led uphill. 

“What would you do?” She inquired as they walked along.

“It varied. When I was younger, he’d take me to dinner at these hole-in-the wall spots on the outskirts. Sometimes we’d go to a show, or to the fair down by the sea. Then he’d take me back to whatever hotel we were staying in and he’d slip out again.”

Rey looked up at him. “Where did he go?”

Ben turned to find her staring at him with wide curious eyes. He smirked. “You’re about to find out.”

Rey eyed him skeptically for a moment, but when he offered up no further explanation, she dropped it, allowing them to continue on in silence. The path they took was quiet, though the sounds of the bustling city behind them were enough to keep it from feeling too eerie. Rey quietly observed the buildings around them as they passed, saying little, though he could see her mind working everytime he glanced her way. Finally, after about a mile of uphill travel, he pulled her into a dark alley that had no outlet.

“What are you -”

“Shhh.” Ben pressed a finger to his lips and turned toward a seemingly insignificant wall, knocking twice before stepping back.

“Solo.” Rey tried again, balking “That’s a _wall._ ”

Ben shook his head, waving his hand in dismissal. “Just give it a minute.”

Rey huffed, crossing her arms. “You cannot be serious.”

Ben turned back to her, ready to reply that he very much was, when the wall began to move, a gruff looking bouncer appearing from the other side, giving them a once over.

“What do you want?” The man grunted.

“To come inside, ideally.” Ben replied evenly. 

“This is a private venue. Members only.” The bouncer barked. “Do you have a card?”

“Ah.” Ben nodded, looking down as he rocked back on his feet. “See, it’s been a while. I didn’t need a card last time.”

The man narrowed his gaze. “No card, no entry.”

The bouncer moved to shut the door, but Ben managed to sneak his foot inside the crack just in time. “Can you at least do me one favor?”

The man looked down at the doorstop, then back up at Ben with disdain. 

“Tell Maz that Solo came by to visit.”

“Solo?” The bouncer gave him another once over, his eyes growing wide in recognition. He nodded once and Ben released his foot from the door, letting it slide shut on them.

“Alright.” He spun back around to Rey, “Now we wait.”

Rey eyed him suspiciously, tapping her fingers on her arm. “Who is Maz?”

“An old friend of my dad’s.” Ben replied, stuffing his hands into his pockets as he leaned back against the wall.

One of Rey’s brows quirked up. “And she’s going to remember you?”

“Yeah.” Ben turned back to the door, growing more uncertain as the minutes passed by. “Of course she is.”

Rey’s brow tightened further, her arms pulled close against her chest. “You know, I’m becoming increasingly convinced that I should not have let you talk me into this.”

“Oh come on.” He pushed off the wall, grabbing her arms away from her body playfully, “Don’t you have even a sliver of faith in me?”

Rey opened her mouth to reply, but was cut off by the door opening behind him. 

“In.” The burly bouncing grunted, holding the door open.

Ben turned back to Rey with a smirk, offering up his arm. “See?”

She rolled her eyes dramatically as she moved to place her hand in the crook of his arm. They followed the bouncer down a flight of dark stairs, the only lights coming from the fluorescent signage that covered the walls. The place hadn’t changed one bit since he’d been here last, all those years ago. There was something comforting about that fact. It was the one thing that was unaffected by all that had changed outside of it. 

While that brought him a sense of calm, it appeared to have the opposite effect on Rey, her hand tightening on his arm and they descended further. 

“Relax, Rey.” Ben leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Maz has run this watering hole forever. She is a bit of an acquired taste... so let me do the talking. And whatever you do, don't stare.”

“Stare?” Rey’s eyes shot up to his. “At what?”

Ben shrugged as they reached the bottom of the stairs, following the bouncer as he pulled open what appeared to be the door of an old bank vault. “Any of it.”

The vault opened and brought with it a plethora of sights and sounds. A band played in the back, fighting for airwaves with uproarious laughter and loud voices. Glasses clinked, dice fell on tables, and chairs squeaked across the wood floor as accusations of cheating were tossed around the room.

“Welcome to Maz’s Cantina.” Ben announced, looking down at Rey with a smile. She was, of course, doing exactly what he’d just told her not to do: staring. But he couldn’t blame her really. He’d had the same reaction when his father first brought him here as a teen. 

“BEN SOLO!” 

The room went shockingly silent as the owner of the booming voice that had just shouted his name came into view. 

“Oh boy.” Ben muttered as he spotted the tiny woman. “Hey, Maz!”

She pushed aside a man triple her size, making a beeline over to where they stood as the commotion returned around them. Maz Kanata hadn’t changed one bit in the past eight years. She stood no taller than five feet, with enormous glasses that made her eyes look like they filled up her entire face. Her wrinkled skin had a distinct orange tint, no doubt a result of too much time spent in a tanning booth. 

“Where’s my boyfriend?” She demanded, coming to stand before them. 

“Chewie’s back in Coruscant.” He answered, knowing full well whom Maz was referring to.

“Shame.” Maz harrumphed. “I like that man. It’s been far too long.”

“I’ll be sure to let him know.” Ben smirked. 

“You’d better.” Maz nodded, hoisting a finger at him. “Now come, come.”

The little woman turned, walking off in the direction of the tables, gesturing for them to follow. Ben looked to Rey and shrugged, motioning for her to lead the way. They wandered through the casino floor, following Maz to a booth in the back. 

“You hungry?” She questioned, not waiting for an answer before she snapped toward the bar and pointed to the table. “Nosh! Food!” The man, whose name was presumably Nosh, nodded and turned into the kitchen.

“Alright.” Maz looked back to them, settling into the booth. Her eyes fell to Rey then, sitting silently beside him, and Maz rose up to push herself across the table and into Rey’s personal space. “Who are you my dear?”

“This is Rey, Maz.” Ben answered quickly, shooting an apologetic glance Rey’s way. 

“Nice to meet you.” Rey forced a smile, her eyes shooting up to his briefly as she leaned away from the persistent little woman whose eyes were raking over Rey’s face.

“Hmmm.” Maz hummed, sitting back after a moment, though not taking her eyes off Rey. “You’re a pretty one.”

Rey glanced in his direction, her cheeks growing redder by the second. “I…”

“She’s a coworker Maz.” Ben insisted, “We’re in town on business.”

“Is that so?” Maz turned slowly, focusing her penetrating stare on him. She observed him quietly for a moment, leaving him with the distinct impression that she was searching his soul, before dropping back to her own side of the booth with a thud. “Well, whatever the reason, I’m happy to see your face.” Maz turned back to Rey then with a mischievous smile . “You know, the first time Han brought this one here he was barely old enough to drive. Thought you were going to get eaten alive with that look on your face. Like a deer in headlights.” Maz chuckled to herself and sat back, nodding appreciatively as the man called Nosh placed various trays of food on their table. “Eat up, both of you. Food’s on me.”

“Come on Maz. I can - “

“Nope!” Maz shook her head firmly. “I haven’t seen your face in years Ben Solo. And let me tell you, it’s been a lot less interesting without you lot stopping in from time to time. There’s no one to swindle my regulars out of all their money.”

“Psh.” Ben shook his head, reaching across the table to grab for a piece of bruschetta. “Now I know that’s not true.”

“Well,” Maz smiled up at him, “Maybe not. But no one does it with as much pizazz as your father.”

Ben smiled, grabbing another slice of bread and placing it on Rey’s plate. “My dad used to be a semi-professional Sabaac player.” He explained, turning to meet her inquisitive stare. “He brought me here to teach me how to play.”

Rey’s eyes lit up. “That’s the card game Leia, Lando and Chewie always play isn’t it?”

Ben nodded, taking a bite of his food.  “Have you ever learned?”

Rey pursed her lips, “I’ve watched them...”

“Well then.” Maz crossed her arms and smiled. “You, my dear, need a teacher.”

Rey looked to Ben, a mischievous sparkle in her eyes. “Was this your plan all along?”

“Of course not.” Ben smirked, hiding the blatant lie behind another bite of bread. “I just wanted to see Maz. But I’ll consider it. If you ask nicely.”

“Oh please.” Maz pushed herself up the stand on the seat of the booth. “Get your ass out of the booth Solo. Let’s get you two to a table.”

Knowing it was futile to refuse, he stood, turning to offer Rey a hand to help her out of the booth. 

“Follow my lead.” He murmured, bending down to whisper in her ear. “These people don’t mess around. There’s more strategy involved than just playing the right cards.”

“Okay.” Rey nodded, her eyes scanning the room as they crossed it. “What part am I playing tonight?”

He flinched back slightly, surprised that she’d already caught on, and cleared his throat. “I’ll leave that up to you.”

Rey tightened her hold as her eyes met his with the barest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She nodded slightly then turned, her chin held high, transforming into a new character before his eyes.

“Jord!” Maz barked at the dealer as they approached the table in question. “I’ve got one more.”

The dealer gave a curt nod and began dealing out a deck at the open spot. Ben pulled out the chair, offering it to Rey, only for her to shake her head.

“Oh no.” She squeezed his arm, eyeing the table as she brushed herself against his chest sensually. “I think I want to watch.”

It hit him then exactly what she’d decided their game plan would be. She may not yet know how to play Sabaac, but the wry glimmer in her eyes said that she did know how to play the table. If her body language was any indication, he had a strong suspicion that he was going to thoroughly enjoy her methods. 

Right on queue, The men at the table looked up, scanning Rey like a dessert tray as Ben slipped down into the seat and foisted over his sleek black card. He felt a strange mix of pride and protectiveness as he watched their gazes drop from her to him, sizing up the competition in more than one regard.

“Evening gentleman.” He said coolly, reaching behind him to caress the hand that Rey had deftly dropped to his shoulder as the dealer slid an enormous stack of chips in front of him. 

One of the men at the table, an enormous fellow with an almost slug-like face and a hideous greyish-green suit that barely seemed to fit, harrumphed at the pile. “Well lookie here fellas.” The man leaned back, chewing on his cigar as he leveled a dangerous glare in Ben’s direction. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a high roller.” 

“Only as high as you see fit.” He replied smoothly, picking up his deck with practiced ease. “I’m really just here to teach my girl how to play.”

Every set of eyes returned to Rey then, the mood around the table lightening considerably.

“You’ve come to the right place my dear.” The cigared man purred, leaning in to get a better view. “We’ll get you learned up in no time.”

Rey’s hand tightened further as she let out a sweetly false laugh. “You hear that baby?” She cooed, sliding her hand down his chest and pressing her mouth to his ear. He shot stiff in an instant, his body reacting a little too enthusiastically to the downward trajectory of her hand. “Time to learn me up.” 

“Right.” He cleared his throat, forcing himself to focus on the cards he’d pulled and not the way her lips were caressing his ear. “So Sabaac. A normal deck has 76 cards in four suits: Flasks, Sabers, Staves, and Coins, each with 15 cards. The goal is to collect as close to 23 points as possible without going over.”

“Ha.” The stout man laughed once more. “You make it sound so simple.”

Ben looked up, feeling Rey’s face move to do the same. “Well I wouldn’t want to scare her off.” He turned toward her. “Would I darling?”

“Oh no.” Rey shook her head, playing the part of flitty arm candy almost too well. “I very much want to learn. I’m tired of watching all of you big, strong men play while I just stand on the sidelines and look pretty.”

Ben bit back a smirk, hearing right through the thin veil of sweetness to the derision she felt for those around them. 

“Well then.” The man leaned back, a dangerous glint in his eye. “Let’s get started.”

The game began well enough. He was a bit rusty, but it mattered little at this stage. Rey remained vigilantly aware at his shoulder, studying every move. When she had a question, she’d bend closer, whispering against his ear, and only then did he ever feel like he was losing control of the round. After a few too many tosses, he felt her nudge his back. 

“What about switching suits?” She questioned quietly. He studied his cards a moment longer, then pulled back to look at her. It was a bold strategy given his current hand, and the only way it would’ve occurred to her was if she’d been counting card, but she seemed confident, and he could chalk it up to a learning experience if it all went south.

“You sure?” He questioned quietly, never leaving her gaze. She nodded once, no trace of doubt in her eyes, and he shrugged. “Alright.”

Another turn passed, then another, and he found himself biting back a smile. Rey’s hand squeezed his shoulder gently, both of them staring down at a perfect winning hand. 

“Would ya look at that.” Ben smirked when the round ended, throwing down the cards with a smug smile. 

The rest of the table groaned, slamming their own hands down in frustration. 

“Bullshit.” One man muttered.

“Cheating.” Another.

“He did no such thing.” Rey cried with bouyant indignation, wrapping both arms around his shoulders and pulling him close. “He just has me for good luck is all.”

Before he could respond she turned her head, pressing a kiss to his temple. He froze at the sensation of her lips against his skin,  fighting back the urge to pull down and capture them with his own. His tense reaction didn’t go unnoticed, and she let him go quickly, clearing her throat.

“I think I’m going to get a drink.” She said, stepping back, “Can I get you anything darling?”

“No.” Ben pushed back from his chair and stood, grabbing her hand gently as she moved to spin away. “I’ll get them. I think you’re ready to play a round yourself.”

Rey looked up at him with wide eyes. “Are you sure?” She questioned.

“Absolutely.” He nodded, leaning down to brush his lips against her ear, “Knock ‘em out tiger.”

He stepped back and winked at her, his heart fit to burst at the way her gaping mouth morphed into a sly smile as she nodded.

“Alright gentleman.” Her smile grew as she turned back toward the table and slipped into his now vacated seat. “It looks like it’s time for my first test.”

Ben left her at the table, making his way across the floor toward the bar on the far side, never letting her out of his sight for longer than was altogether necessary. He was impressed by how quickly she’d picked up the game, though it shouldn’t have been surprising. Rey picked up on everything quickly. She was like a sponge. It was how she’d made herself invaluable to Skywalker Industries without so much as a formal high school diploma. 

He stayed alert, watching from the corner of his eye as the bartender approached to take his order.

“Two martinis. Dry.”

The bartender nodded, heading to grab a bottle of top shelf gin, and Ben settled back against the bar, watching Rey’s face contort in concentration from across the room.

“So,” Ben spun back to find Maz staring at him from her perch atop of the bar. “Who's the girl?”

Ben sighed, knowing exactly where the little woman was about to go with this. “I already told you Maz. Her name is Rey Niima. She works for my mo-”

“Yes yes, I know that.” Maz waved her hand dismissively. “The question is: who is she to _you_?”

“I…” Ben’s eyes found their way back to Rey, watching her from across the room. “She’s…”

“You love her.”

He spun back, jolting away from Maz, whose face was now mere inches from his own.

“I don’t.”

“Oh yes you do.” Maz spun herself around the bar and hopped down onto the barstool beside him. “I’ve seen a lot more in my time than you have Ben Solo. And I know how a man looks at a woman he loves.”

Ben huffed, grabbing for his drink and looking away. Maz was not deterred.

“Have you told her?”

Ben shot her a glare. “What do you think?” 

Maz laughed, shaking her head fondly. “I think you are just like your father.”

“Yeah well…” Ben threw back the rest of his drink. “What if I am?”

“Han Solo was a scoundrel.” Maz leaned forward, placing a hand on his shoulder and squeezing “But he was a good man. And he loved you and your mother more than anything else in this world.”

Ben’s swallowed back the stinging in his eyes, nodding down at the hands sitting fisted in his lap.

“I know he did.” He mumbled.

_And look where that got him._

“Then you know that he’d want you to be happy.” Maz’s finger slid beneath his chin, dragging his eyes up. She met his gaze for a moment before looking beyond him, gesturing for him to do the same. “Does she make you happy Ben?”

He looked up, watching as Rey slammed down her hand, crossed her arms, and sat back with a proud smile while all her opponents groaned and threw up their hands in frustration. She must’ve felt him watching her, because she looked up and met his gaze from across the room, and suddenly his whole world tunneled into her. Her smile grew considerably as she looked back at him, her eyes sparkling even in the dim lighting of the casino floor. There was nothing in the world that made his heart race like being on the receiving end of one of Rey’s blindingly brilliant smiles. They were a gift, to be bestowed only upon those she deemed worthy, and this one was just for him. 

The moment was broken when the man next to her leaned in to whisper something in her ear, and he came crashing back down to reality. 

No, Rey didn’t make him happy. She made him _crazy_. She drove him mad with possessiveness and jealousy and lust. He had no claim to her and no right to one even if he had, but every time he saw her with another man his first thought was to beat the bloke blind. Every time he heard her laugh at someone else’s joke, he wished that someone was him. At night he’d lie awake wishing that she was lying there next to him, only to find himself wondering who had her in his arms instead. She consumed his thoughts both day and night, making him question every decision he’d made, seducing him with her fierce words and her pretty eyes. 

No, Rey most certainly did not make him happy. She made him miserable. But he had no one to blame for that but himself.

“It’s complicated.” He said, forcing his gaze back to Maz.

He’d been expected Maz to nod sadly, or offer some sage advice. Instead, she coiled back and unleashed a punch to his arm. 

“Ow!” He cried out, “What was that for?”

“For being an idiot.” She replied sternly, punching his other arm as he brought it around to rub at the now tender muscle. “And that one was for what you’ve no doubt put _her_ through. And this one -”

“Ow, Maz, stop.” Ben reached down and grabbed her little wrists, holding her back easily even as she tried to shimmy out of his grip. 

“No, I will not stop.” Maz huffed indignantly. “That poor girl cares about you Benjamin. And you care about her too. Yet you are choosing to sabotage what happiness this world has offered up at your feet.”

“It’s not that simple-”

“Yes. It is.” Maz stopped struggling and pulled him down until their eyes were level with one another, her nose nearly brushing against his as she leveled him with her all knowing gaze. “That girl is not going to wait for you forever Ben Solo. And when the day comes that this “complication” of yours is no longer standing in your way, you’re going to look back and regret that you didn’t tell her the truth when you had the chance.”

Ben sighed, looking back at her from across the room. Maz was right. She wouldn’t wait for him forever, and when the day finally came that she did meet someone worthy of her, he knew he’d be utterly lost.

“I didn’t come here to talk about my love life.” He replied darkly, forcing his eyes away from Rey.

“You don’t say.” Maz smirked. “I’m guessing you didn’t leave the strip just to see my wrinkly old face either.”

Ben shook his head, “Unfortunately no.”

“Well, get on with it then.” Maz pulled herself up to sit on the edge of the bar. “I know why you’re in town. The whole world does. The Consortium isn’t exactly subtle.”

“No, they’re not.” Ben nodded in agreement, “But it seems like they’ve gone to great lengths to hide some things from prying eyes.”

“Ah.” Maz nodded, leaning in closer. “What have you found out?”

Ben leaned back, meeting her eyes. “I know that there is more to the Chume family than meets the eye.”

Maz’s eyes flew up, scanning the space around them before she pushed herself further into his space, her voice low. “Be careful what you say out in the open. There are many in this room I do not trust.”

“But you let them in?”

Maz shrugged. “Good for business. I can’t like all my clientele. I would’ve closed years ago.” 

“Fair.” Ben noted, turning to check on Rey across the room. “But you must know something.”

“I know that you’re right.” Ben’s head spun back to her. “Isolder Chume is a charming man, and if I’m not mistaken he had a sweet spot for your mother years ago, but be wary of him. And even more wary of his mother. They play their cards closer to the chest than they let on.”

“Do you know who else they’re working with?”

“It’s hard to say.” Maz shook her head, her eyes shifting as she nodded slightly toward the oversized man who’d challenged him first at the Sabaac table. “But I heard talk of a job going down soon. And I think it’s safe to say that the men at your table intend to leave Canto Bight with more than just your girl and some extra cash.”

Ben’s stomach sank, his head snapping back to the table, where the man to Rey’s right was now tugging her closer, his arm draped around her shoulder as he leaned into her space. Grabbing the remaining martini with a snarl, he stood.

“Ben.” Maz grabbed his arm before he could get away. “Don’t you dare go making a scene in my casino. You hear me? I put you at that table for a reason.” She gestured back to Rey, who was giving the man the most lethal of subtle side-eyes. “Now let her work her magic.”

“What are you talking about?” He snapped, his chest heaving as anger roared to life within him as the man brushed his nose against Rey’s temple. “She doesn’t even know how to play.”

“Please.” Maz let him go, leaning back and crossing her arms in a way that reminded him far too much of his mother. “I know a master at work when I see one. And by the time you get back to that table, she’s going to have out-maneuvered them all.”

Sure enough, Rey threw down the final hand before he’d even made it back to stand behind her, the entire table erupting into a chaos of either amusement or indignation.

“YOU LYING LITTLE SLUT!” The  slug-like man with the cigar screamed, jumping to his feet with surprising dexterity for a man of his size and yanking the table off the ground. 

Ben caught Rey against his chest just in time, preventing her from stumbling backward as the floor broke out in chaos.

“Whoa!” He heard Maz yell over the crowd. “Jabba, calm down!”

Ben spun Rey so she was behind him, blocking the man’s sight line as he jabbed a sausage-like finger in their direction. “SHE’S A SCAMMER! A HUSTLER! A ROTTEN LITTLE -”

“Hey!” Ben yelled back. “Watch what you call her!”

The man he now knew to be called Jabba spun, his eyes murderous. “YOU!”

“Uh, Solo?” Rey grabbed his arm and started to pull. “I think we’ve overstayed our welcome.”

Jabba pushed the table aside and stormed toward them, flanked by two of the others who’d been playing with them. 

“Yup.” Ben nodded, following their trail only a second longer before turning and pushing her toward the door. “Time to go.”

He grabbed her hand as they ran, ducking under flying fists and air-borne drinks. Punches of his own were thrown as the entire casino floor erupted into chaos around them, doing his best to keep Rey out of harm's way. 

They made it to the vault door to find it already open, the gruff bouncer pushing his way inside and grabbing whatever vagabonds he could get his hands on. Rey climbed through first with Ben following quickly after, Jabba screaming about his plans to gut them growing closer by the second. Once he was through the doorway, Rey began pushing on the door.

“What are you doing?” He cried, spinning and grabbing her arm. “We don’t have time!”

“They’ll catch us!” She insisted, shrugging out of his grip and grunting against the heavy weight. “Just help me!”

Ben let out a frustrated groan, but joined her anyway, pushing against the vault door.

“I KNOW YOUR FACES! I WILL GET -” Jabba’s screams sounded right behind the door as Ben peeked his head around just in time to see it slam on the man’s face. Rey was breathing heavy beside him, falling back against the vault door for only a second before the banging began. 

Sucking in a deep breath of his own, he grabbed for her hand, pulling them both up the dark stairwell and out into the alley way. He heard a crash from down below just as the wall closed behind them, the sounds of men screaming audible even as they exited into the street.

“Come on!” Ben pulled, turning them in the opposite direction from whence they came.

“Wait!” Rey cried, “Don’t we need to go the other way?”

“No.” Ben shook his head, looking back over his shoulder to find two of the thugs spilling out of the alleyway. “I know another route.”

He yanked her out of the road before the men turned their way, tightening his grip on her hand as they ran. They emptied into a busier street, slowing to a stroll in an attempt to blend in. 

As the made their way down the hill, two men he recognized came running out of a street further down. They looked the other way first, giving Ben just enough time to throw his arm around Rey’s shoulder and pull her behind the couple in front of them, tucking her safely against his chest.

The men looked back their way only briefly before turning to run in the opposite direction, leaving them behind. He felt Rey let out a sigh of relief, his own heart rate slowing considerably.

“Think we lost them?” She asked, barely more than a whisper, her head peeking out to look down the street.

He checked over his shoulder before nodding, loosening his hold on her slightly as he looked down at her for the first time. “Are you alright?”

“What, me?” Rey replied nonchalantly. “Yeah I’m good. What about you?”

He balked, “ _Me_? Rey, you just about got yourself beheaded back there. What happened!?”

She shrugged, looking down to avoid his gaze. “Nothing. We were just playing and I got a few too many good hands…”

Something was off. She was being far too shifty, and her reactions were not lining up. Ben dropped his arms from her shoulder as he thought through Maz’s final words.

“Rey…”

“You weren’t kidding about those guys not messing around. Did you know that the man with the cigar is the head of the Hutt cartel? I’m telling you, I got lots of juicy information…”

He stopped walking, watching her continue down the hill.  “Rey.”

“I think that there is more going on here with the Consortium than we realized.” She continued, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he wasn’t following her anymore. “He definitely mentioned one of the board members we met last night and…”

“Rey!” He snapped, grabbing for her arm and spinning her to face him. “Did you just hustle _Jabba Hutt_?”

Her mouth fell open as she stared up at him, working her jaw like she was going to try and find her way out of admitting what he was certain to be true. Finally, her expression steeled and she pulled out the sleek black credit card he’d left with the dealer. “I might’ve.”

Ben looked from her face to the card, then back again, utterly floored by the woman in front of him. Then, he laughed, dropping her arm and shaking his head as he ran his hand through his hair. He’d spent his whole evening thinking he was watching her back when in reality she’d been playing them all the whole time. 

“You…you seriously just swindled Jabba _freaking_ Hutt?” He bowled over, “That’s _insane_ Rey. Literally insane.”

“ _Come on._ ” She goaded, a sly smile lighting up her face. “You didn’t actually buy that _Lando Calrissian_ never tried to teach me Sabaac, did you?”

They were both laughing now, the sheer ridiculousness of the whole situation drowning out the adrenaline. “Really Solo. I thought you were smarter than that.”

He shook his head, a smile forming on his face unbidden as he looked down at her. She was a vision, her face flushed even in the dim moonlight. Without thinking, he grabbed for her waist, pulling her close.

She sucked in a breath at the movement, her hands catching on his arms as he pulled her to his chest. He thought she might pull away, but she didn’t, looking up at him with eyes blown wide and black as night.

“You’re brilliant, you know that?” He murmured, leaning down to be closer still, the scent of her overwhelming his senses.

He caught her gaze trailing to his lips, the movement so quick he would’ve missed it had he blinked, as his own eyes scanned over hers, so soft and inviting. 

“I’d like to think I have my moments.” She breathed, looking back up and meeting his gaze.

“Rey...” His voice sounded foreign, too dark and deep. It was an out of body experience, holding her there, with her looking at him like that. He didn’t even realize he intended to speak until he heard the words leave his mouth.

“Can I kiss you?”

Her head snapped up, hesitation filling her eyes. “Do you _want_ to kiss me?”

The mere fact that she had to ask that question was like a stab to the gut; the sheer lunacy of the idea that she could possibly believe otherwise downright unbearable. Yeah so maybe this went against every HR policy in the books, every boundary he’d set and line he’d drawn, but it didn’t matter anymore. 

Taking a deep breath in, Ben lifted his hand to her neck, his thumb tracing over her jaw as he’d done so many times in his dreams. Pressing his forehead to hers, he met her gaze dead on.

“I’ve never wanted anything more.”

Rey leaned up, so close that it would take no more than one small movement for their lips to meet, and smiled. 

“Then what are you waiting for?”

_____________________

Rose Tico could count on one hand the number of times she’d been in the executive offices at Skywalker Industries. As one of the least recognizable figures in the Resistance, she’d made sure to keep a low-profile, almost never making appearances outside of the Applied Sciences basement.

Today, however, she was making an exception.

Poor Nien Nunb hadn’t known what hit him when the petite Asian fireball jammed her way past his security system and through the closing doors of the elevator, ignoring the strange looks of her fellow riders as she tapped her foot impatiently, watching the floors tick by at a criminally slow pace.

By the time the elevator reached the top floor, Rose was certain she’d lost at least 5 lbs of stress weight. The doors weren’t even open before she’d gone sprinting down the hallway, hoping Leia’s office hadn’t moved since she’d last been there.

The second Rose rounded the corner toward the executive reception area, Kaydel jumped to her feet.

“Rose? What are you doing up here?” 

Rose didn’t bother to stop her stride as she pushed through the double doors, assuming Kaydel was smart enough to follow. “Where’s Leia?” 

“She’s in with Poe.” Kaydel replied, heaving herself around the desk and keeping up despite her bear-trap worthy shoes. “Rose, what’s going on?” 

They reached Leia’s door before she had to reply, throwing it open and revealing the two people she desperately needed to see. Poe froze mid-sentence at the sight of her, now keeling over to try and catch her breath for the first time in what felt like hours. 

“Rose?”

“Tico?”

“What are you doing up here?” Poe pushed himself off the edge of Leia’s desk, uncrossing his arms as Leia stepped over to rub her back.

“I’m... sorry.” Rose wheezed, gathering herself. “But we’ve got... a problem.”

Leia and Poe looked at one another, then back at Rose. 

“Kaydel, close the door.” Leia ordered, helping Rose to the nearby couch. “Rose dear, what on Earth is going on?”

Rose looked up, meeting the eyes of every person in the room, waiting impatiently for her to explain herself, her mind still reeling from what she’d seen and heard.

“It’s Rey and Ben.” She breathed out finally, clutching her hands against her chest. “There's going to be an attack.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking about doing character profiles on [Tumblr](https://altargareyen.tumblr.com/) for all the Resistance members. What do ya'll think? Would you have any interest?


	15. God is a Woman

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright friends. In the words of Han Solo: "This is where the smut begins."
> 
> Or... wait... Well, you get the point anyway. If you are under the ripe young age of 18, or you simply believe what happens in the bedroom ought to stay in the bedroom, then ye have been warned. The way around reading such insidious material is the skip the odd numbered sections of the chapter. There are three (3) smutty sections in total. The even numbered sections return us to our Resistance friends and are important for the development of the plot. There are also three (3) of these. 
> 
> With that said, this is my first time writing smut, and the best I can hope for at this point is that I didn't completely botch the whole thing. Your feedback and support is much appreciated, as is any and all constructive criticism for how to improve in the future.
> 
> And now, without further ado, I present to you Chapter 15....
> 
> Oh, also, this chapter is brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Like I Love You - Justin Timberlake  
> God is a Woman - Ariana Grande

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/48900122718/in/dateposted-public/)

Rey couldn’t breathe. Her whole body felt like it was suspended mid-air, floating somewhere between glorious ecstasy and complete and utter shock. Somehow they’d managed to break away from one another long enough to return to their hotel, though _how_ they’d managed such a feat was anyone’s guess. Now they found themselves standing side-by-side in tense silence, forced apart by the impropriety of jumping each other while sharing an elevator with strangers.

Said elevator seemed insistent on taking it’s sweet time, time that Rey was unwilling to give up in her quest to claim his lips again before they both came back to their senses and put an end to this insanity. That’s what it was, afterall. Complete and total insanity. A cacophony of pent up sexual frustration mixed with the adrenaline of their escape from of Maz’s, all bubbling up in an explosion of passion and pheromones and decisions they’d probably regret later but were _definitely_ not going to put the kibosh on now.

She’d fantasized about this for far longer than she’d care to admit, but no amount of prior planning could have prepared her for the reality that was kissing Ben. The first taste had been gentle, hesitant almost, his plush lips just as soft as she’d always imagined. But what had started as a tentative meeting had quickly devolved into something else entirely. Ben was _ravenous_ , and if she didn’t know better she might’ve thought he meant to devour her whole.

When - _finally_ \- the elevator slowed to a halt on their floor, he gestured for her to lead, following her out of the lift and into the hallway that, upon further inspection, was really much too long. Ben walked beside her in silence, the distance between them sizzling like a shock wave. It took far more effort than it should’ve to keep herself upright, the throbbing ache in her core downright _agonizing_ as she forced herself not to look at him, though not oblivious to his own eyes shooting glances in her direction as if to ensure she really was there after all.

She tried and failed to unlock the door to their suite, her hands shaking too much to keep the card straight. Behind her, Ben chuckled, his breath blowing a strand of hair against her ear as he reached around her, cupped her hand in his, and slipped the room key into the slot steadily. 

Rey turned slightly, opening her mouth to thank him, only to be silenced by his lips crashing against hers. His hands moved to cradle her face as he walked her back into their suite, the door not even closed behind them before Rey’s back was foisted against it, her lips meeting his in a surge of desperation, her head and her heart competing for what minimal oxygen she was able to take in the brief moments they bothered to break apart. 

She reached up, knotting her hands in his soft, luscious waves, desperate to pull him closer as her tongue sought entrance to his mouth. He opened for her as his arms fell to her thighs, thrusting her up until her legs were wrapped around his waist. The growl he elicited then was downright feral; his hand squeezing her thighs, running through her hair, tracing up her sides until her arms were held above her head, trapping her there, utterly at his mercy as she plundered his mouth with her tongue. 

He was everywhere and nowhere all at once, her skin screaming for him to somehow become closer despite the fact that every part of her body was currently in contact with some part of his. 

 _Clothes._  That was the problem. _Far too many clothes._

With no small amount of regret, Rey broke from him, forcing her chin up as he tried to lay claim to her once more. Not to be deterred, his mouth instead sought out the sensitive skin of her throat, drawing out a breathless sigh as she momentarily forgot why she’d ever broken away in the first place. His hands slipped from her wrists slowly, drawing goosebumps as he traced down her arms until he once again held her exposed thighs in hand. 

Her hands now free once more, she leaned down to capture his lower lip between her teeth. He moaned as she sucked, her fingers fumbling against the buttons of his shirt, and a moment later he had her foisted up once again, held against the door by only his hips as his hands came to help her.

“Too. Many. Clothes.” She insisted, each word coming out as a breathless demand between his searing kisses. 

She could feel his smile against her mouth, a low chuckle vibrating beneath her hands, now beginning their exploration of his bare chest. A chest that was downright god-like, his pecs flexing against her touch, rock solid and chiseled. She knew he was fit. Anyone with eyes could see that. But not even her over active imagination had conjured up a body like _this._  

She had questions. Lots of questions. The most pressing of which was where on Earth he found the time to maintain the body of a greek god. At the moment, however, the only thing that mattered was getting her hands on more of it. 

“Bedroom.” She demanded, thrusting her hips into his to indicate it was time to move. 

Next thing Rey knew, she was spinning away from the door, one of Ben’s hands moving to hold her back as the other squeezed her ass, never once breaking his lips from hers as he walked them across the common area and into the room he’d made his own. 

He dropped her down onto the bed before pulling away to shed himself of his shirt completely. She gaped at the sight of him, standing above her like a marble statue, her legs still spread around his waist.

“What the actual fuck Solo?” She cried, equal parts flustered and indignant as her eyes roved over his thick, flawless upper half. 

He shook his head as he lowered himself back over her, one elbow holding him up as he captured her lips in a soft, searing kiss. Then, before she could reach up and pull him closer, he pulled away, looking down into her eyes for the first time since they’d started down this dangerous path.  

“Ben.” He said softly, his dark eyes pleading and vulnerable as his hand came up to caress her jaw. “Please… call me Ben.”

She felt her brow furrow as she studied him, the flurry of senseless passion dissipating as their eyes met in the darkness of his hotel room. He hovered above her, all strength and muscle, while she lay defenseless beneath him. Yet Rey found only vulnerability in his eyes, looking at her pleadingly, as if it was _she_ who held all the power. 

“Okay.” She nodded, reaching up to brush a strand of hair out of his eyes, unable to hold back a smile at the look of surprise that crossed his face at her tender gesture. “Now shut up and kiss me… _Ben_.”

__________________________

“Please pick up Rey. Please, _please_ pick up.” Rose stood in the corner of Leia’s office, pleading with her roommate to answer her call, the room behind her a flurry of frantic activity. With each ring, Rose’s heart grew louder in her ears until she once more heard Rey’s familiar accent telling her to leave a message after the beep.

“Anything?” Finn pressed, hovering behind her.

Rose spun around and shook her head, flinching as Finn turned and punched the wall. “Dammit Rey!” He cried indignantly, resuming his furious pacing. “What is the point of having a cellphone if you’re not going to _answer it_!?”

“Chewie?” Leia murmured from the window, her arm pulled tightly across her chest as she huddled over her phone. “It’s Leia. Have you heard from Ben? I can’t get ahold of him…”

On the other side of the room, Kaydel was typing furiously on her laptop keyboard, her own cell phone perched precariously between her shoulder and her ear. “Yes? Hello? Hi. My name is Kaydel Connix. I booked a suite last week under Solo… Yes… Great… No… Look, I need to get in touch with them…”

“Yeah I know Dad...” Poe was pacing along the other wall of Leia’s office, somehow managing not to interfere with Finn’s route as he argued into his phone. “Of course I know it’s risky to take her out that far. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important...  No it is absolutely _not_ for a date. Are you _kidding_ me right now? I just need the Goddamn plane, okay! No I can’t tell you why!”

Rose felt herself slipping into a panic, the office spinning around her as her breath became shallow, her throat closing up. 

“Rose?” Finn spun, his warm brown eyes invading her personal space as his hands came to cradle her face, warm tears cascading down her cheeks against her will. “Hey. It’s okay. Just breathe. Breathe for me.”

She fell against Finn’s chest, her sobs coming unbidden as he ran a soothing hand down her back. “Shhh. There we go. In and out. Just keep breathing.”

“I just…” *sob* “What if…” *sniffle* “I don’t know what I’ll do…” 

“No.” Finn pulled her tighter, his voice cracking as he buried his face in her hair. “Don’t say it. Don’t even think it. This is Rey we’re talking about. She always finds a way. Always.”

“But what if…”

“There is no what if. She _will_.” He said it with so much force she almost believed him, until he muttered it again under his breath, seeming to have to convince himself as much as he did her. “She _promised._ ”

“AH HA!” Rose looked up from Finn’s chest with blurry eyes to see Poe fist pump the air triumphantly. “Finally! The old man’s going to let us take Black One. He’s getting her gassed up now.”

“What?” Finn cried, loosening his hold on Rose.

“For real?” Kaydel shot up from the couch, as Leia moved from around her desk, a look of astonished relief on her face.

Poe moved like a bullet across the room, pulling Rose out of Finn’s arms and cradling her face in his hands. “Okay Rosie. If we’re going to do this, we need to know everything.”

Rose swallowed, pushing back the remaining tears and forcing herself to focus. “Okay.” She nodded rapidly. “Okay. I think you’re all going to want to sit down.”

______________________

He was pretty sure he was dreaming. That was the only logical explanation for the look on Rey’s face, the sounds she was making as she writhed beneath him, all breathless and beautiful. 

Ben had imagined this moment for a pathetically long time, but not even his most salacious daydreams had come close to capturing the thrill of having her hands on him, her lips feeding on his, the little sounds she made short circuiting his brain. 

It was entirely possible that he’d regret this tomorrow, for it was almost certain that she’d rebuke him, but that was future Ben Solo’s problem. Right now it was just them, her and him, and he intended to make the most of every second she gave him. 

Tracing his mouth up her neck, he nibbled lightly at her jawline, biting back a smile when she moaned, her fingers tightening in his hair to the point where it was almost painful.

“Rey.” He murmured, drawing her earlobe into his mouth and sucking gently. Her back arched beneath him, her breath catching beautifully as he nuzzled against her, chuckling gently as his hands traced their way downward, reaching the edge of her dress, bunched up against her waist. “This needs to go.”

She froze beneath him for a moment, twisting to look down at her chest before shaking her head fervently. “Yes. Yup. Yes it does.”

Breaking away from her was torture, but he forced himself up anyway, offering up a hand to help her off the bed. Taking it without hesitation, she spun around as she stood and pulled her hair over her shoulder, revealing the zipper of her scandalous slip dress. 

Ever so gently, he reached up, taking the zipper between his fingers and dragging it down, slowly revealing the skin of her back. He stopped at the base of her spine, tracing his hands up her tanned skin, memorizing the pattern of freckles he saw there as he opened the dress slightly. When he reached her shoulders, he stepped forward, slipping the straps down her and letting the dress fall to the floor as he kissed the crook of her neck, breathing her in as her head fell back against his shoulder, granting him better access while his hands roved over her bare stomach, pulling her tighter against him. 

“You’re so beautiful.”

He felt her tense beneath him, spurring him to pull tighter, tracing his nose along her neck until he could once again nibble at the sensitive skin around her ear, his hands moving in opposite directions until one cupped her breast through her lacy bra and the other played with the thin strip of lace fabric guarding her core. 

The breath that escaped her was mesmerizing, her hand reaching behind her to play with the hair on the base of his neck as she shimmed her ass against the ever growing hardness still trapped in his dress pants. 

Feeling daring, he slipped a finger under the lace of her underwear, drawing a careful line up the crux of her leg. She gasped, arching her back as her hand dropped down to grip his. 

“I’ll stop if you tell me to.” He murmured, biting her ear gently. “Just say the word.”

“ _No._ ” She begged, tightening her hand over his. “Don’t stop. _Please._ ”

He couldn’t stop his smile as his lips dragged down her shoulder, her hand dropping from his and finding its way to his hip as his own ventured further downward, gently opening her folds to find her positively _dripping_. 

“ _Fuck_ Rey.” He groaned, dizzy with desire and pulsing with pride. “You. Are. _Perfect.”_

She let out a breathy laugh, cut short by a moan so feral his eyes rolled. Forcing her legs further apart, he dove in, slipping his ring finger inside her as his thumb continued worshiping her more sensitive areas. 

“Oh. OH. _Ohhhhh_.” Rey threw her hips back so hard he nearly fell, her nails digging into the skin of his neck. “ _Ben…”_

 _“Yes.”_ He grunted against her neck, wrapping his free arm around her center as he pushed a second finger inside her. “Tell me what you need Rey. I’ll give you anything.”

She gave no reply as he pulsed his fingers against her walls, rubbing his thumb faster as her breaths grew shorter, her moans louder, his own arousal throbbing against her pert ass. He could feel her building toward completion, writhing desperately in his arms as she moaned his name over and over like a prayer. 

“Cum for me Rey.” He pleaded as her legs started to shake beneath his hands, “Cum for me baby.”

Not a moment later he felt her orgasm crash through her, her walls pulsing against his fingers as she cried out in ecstasy, her head thrown back against his shoulder as her body went limp in his arms. 

“There you are.” He smiled as he slid his fingers out of her slowly, cherishing the feel of her release on his skin. “I’ve got you.”

Her chest was heaving, her breath coming heavy as he pressed kisses into her hair. He held her as she came down from her high, her hands loosening their tight grip on his neck and thigh. 

“Ben?” She whispered after a moment, still breathless.

“Yeah Rey?” He replied gently, nuzzling the back of her head. 

She took a deep breath in, then turned in his arms, looking up at him with those bright hazel eyes that he so adored. After a moment she swallowed deeply, her eyes following her hand’s trajectory down the planes of his chest and abs until reaching his pant line, her thumbs rubbing over his belt buckle. 

“I think…” She started, grabbing for the buckle as her eyes returned to meet his with a devilish glimmer, “That you have about five seconds to get out of these pants before I do unspeakable things to them.”

She pushed back from him then, crossing her legs as she leaned back on the bed, looking up at him expectantly. He opened his mouth, but found himself incapable of words, stunned as he took her whole body in for the first time. 

Rey tilted her head as his eyes roved over every inch of her, a smirk growing broader on her face as she quirked a brow expectantly, uncrossing her legs and opening them wide, an invite if ever he’d seen one.

“Well?” She purred, her eyes flickering seductively in the moonlight, “You coming?”

After what he was certain was a momentary suspension of his heart’s ability to function, Ben’s head fell back, biting back a deep growl, his hands flying immediately to release his throbbing length from captivity. He’d always known Rey Niima was his kryptonite, but tonight she was something else entirely, and he’d be damned if something as futile as _clothing_ kept him from her for one second longer. 

____________________

“Let me get this straight.” Poe looked absolutely murderous, his hands ramrod straight as he paced in front of the couch and chairs they all gathered on. “The Consortium has been in cahoots with the First Order the _entire_ time?”

“I don’t know.” Rose replied, dropping her head. “I don’t think so, though. At least, not all of them. Hux was talking to one person in particular, and he was bashing Isolder Chume pretty hard. I certainly didn’t get the impression that he was in on it.”

“Even so,” Leia piped up, her eyes glued to her hands, laying clenched in her lap. “I sent them right into a trap.”

“Leia no.” 

“Stop it.”

“That’s not true.”

“Yes. It is.” Leia looked up then, eyes red-rimmed but burning with fury. “I should’ve known there was more to this. The writing has been on the wall all along. And if the Hutt Cartel is involved...”

Rose grabbed the woman’s hand, squeezing gently. “You warned her there would be risks. Rey knew that.”

“But Ben…”

“Is with Rey.” Poe cut her off. “And, if we’re being honest, is more capable than any of us ever bother to give him credit for.”

All eyes shot up to Poe, brows furrowed at the strange comment. “Look, I know Ben isn’t part of the Resistance. But maybe, just maybe, it’s time he was.”

“Poe…” Leia started, pulling back her hand. 

“No listen Leia. I know he’s your son. And I know you don’t want to lose him. But when we get them out of there - yes I said when. Not if - _When_ we get them out of there, I think it’s time. Yeah, so maybe we don’t know where he was or what he was doing all those years, but we haven’t exactly been honest with him about how we spent that time either. And I, for one, think we all deserve some answers.”

Rose looked to Leia, watching a thousand thoughts flash through her eyes. Finally, she let out a deep sigh and stood, brushing her skirt before leveling her stare at Poe.

“Perhaps you’re right.” She answered heavily. “But first we need to bring them home.”

Poe nodded, straightening up with military precision, a callback to his days in Special Forces. “We will General. I promise.”

Leia looked at him for a moment, then nodded, returning to her seat. “Then go.” She gestured toward Finn and Poe. “And for the love of God, keep your mics on. We’ll be in contact soon.”

“Of course.” Finn replied, turning to follow Poe out of the office swiftly. 

Once the door had shut behind them, Leia turned back to face her and Kaydel.

“Alright ladies.” She smirked darkly, leaning back and steeling her shoulders. “It’s time to find my missing son.”

____________________

Logically, she knew he would be big. It just made sense. He was a rather large person, generally. It would follow that he would be proportional, well, everywhere. But seeing him standing there, in all his naked, chiseled glory was still a shock.

She swallowed hard as her eyes raked over him, her throat so dry she wondered if it was possible that all the moisture in her body had worked its way south, to where his eyes now lingered, her body spread open for him in an act of boldness that could only be the result of the positively mind-bending pleasure he’d only just finished working her through. 

But she was needy, starving for more, and he was not nearly close enough to satiate her hunger. 

She closed her legs and rose from the bed, meeting him in the now non-existent space between their bodies and crashing into him in a fit of desperation. He walked her backwards slowly, his hands knotted in her hair as her own wandered to his base. 

He grunted when her fingers found their target, running down the smooth skin teasingly before wrapping him up in her hand and massaging downward.

“ _Rey.”_  Her name came out as a croak, deep throated and desperate.

“Shhh.” She purred, pushing herself up on her toes to bite at his earlobe. “It’s your turn.”

Ben’s hand flew to her shoulder blades, pulling her tight against him as he moaned into her shoulder. “ _Fuck._ ”

She smiled against the muscles of his throat, trailing her tongue downward as her hands worked him gently. It was a study in human form, his muscles tightening below her mouth as she worked her way south, eliciting sounds so delicious she wanted nothing but to hear them again. 

His skin was smooth and firm, until suddenly, it wasn’t. Her tongue running around a deep gash that she recognized as a scar. Curious, the hand that wasn’t otherwise occupied came to settle at his hip bone, splaying across his skin as she investigated the parts of him she hadn’t been able to see. His pronounced six-pack flexed beneath her as she explored, her brow furrowing as she discovered more and more scars along her path. 

She’d need to ask him about these later, but if the warm moisture pooling at the end of her thumb was any indication, now was not the time. Smiling to herself, she bent down, running her tongue along the length of his torso until her knees hit the floor. Her hands ran up his thick, muscular thighs and around to his backside, her mouth painting playful circles just above his throbbing shaft.

“Rey…” Ben tried again, his voice broken and pained, “You don’t… Hooooly… Haaa.”

She squeezed his ass, prompting his hardness to spring upward. Looking up to find him falling apart, she leaned in, running her tongue over the tip, taking in the salty taste, reveling in the way his body shook beneath her hands. 

The groan that left his throat was downright addicting and she moved in with a prideful smile, determined to hear it again. But before she could take him fully, he growled, leaning down and pulling her off her knees. Her back hit the bed before she had time to process what was happening, and the next thing she knew, his tongue was scouring the roof of her mouth, warring for territory with her own. 

She moaned into his mouth, her hands flying back down to take hold of him once more. 

“ _No_.” He growled, grabbing her wrists and pinning them down above her head. He spread her open with his knee and settled there, his huge body covering every inch of her as his hips rolled against her core. She let out a breathless moan at the sensation, her back arching into his abs while his hands tightened around her wrists. 

“What do you want Rey?” His voice was low, deep and sensual, a fire burning low in his chocolatey eyes, holding her captive as he held himself up above her. 

She tried to kiss him again, an answer all in itself as far as she was concerned. But he held her back and shook his head, refusing to quell her need until she gave him an answer. And so, looking deep into his eyes, she pushed herself up by the shoulders, rolling her hips and brushing herself along his body.

“ _You_.” She moaned into the abyss, her whole body alight with desperation.  “I want _you,_ Ben.”

Her wrists were freed not a second later, his hands rushing down to remove the remaining lace that stood between them. She heard what she thought was the ripping of fabric, but could not be bothered to worry about it as his mouth moved down her newly bared chest, his tongue capturing her nipple and sucking hard. 

“Oh!” She cried out at the sensation, her hand flying up and knotting in his hair as her hips thrust upward. His hand captured her leg before it could drop back down to the mattress, wrapping it around his waist and grinding upward, his shaft sliding along her folds deliciously. “Fuck! Yes! Ben!”

Releasing her breast from his mouth, he pulled himself up to look at her, his chest heaving as his eyes bore down into hers, burning with such passion she thought she might cry. After a moment, he reached down, lining himself up with her entrance, his eyes never breaking from hers. 

“ _Ben._ ” She gasped, wriggling beneath him, desperate to have him filling her.  

He hesitated, as if searching her eyes for something. What she saw reflected back at her nearly broke her heart. No one had ever looked at her that way before. As if she was something precious, sacred. Someone worth caring for, maybe even cherishing. 

But that couldn’t be right. He did this all the time, with countless women more desirable than her. She was nothing special. A nobody from nowhere. Another notch in his belt. 

She felt the tears settle in the corner of her eyes unbidden, her throat tightening as she blinked them away. 

“Rey?” Ben frowned, his hand moving to cradle her face. “Rey what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “Just fuck me already.”

His eyes scanned her face, his features growing more and more distressed with each passing second until he leaned down. She closed her eyes, waiting for a pressure that never came. Instead, his lips brushed against the bridge of her nose before settling into a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“Contrary to popular belief.” He grumbled against her skin, “I don’t actually do this very often.”

Rey’s eyes flew open as he pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. 

“We don’t have to do this.” He murmured, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. “But if that’s what you’re thinking about right now, then I want you to know.”

She gaped at him like an idiot, stunned by the revelation. Here she was, lying naked underneath the man she’d been dreaming of for months now, desperate for him, even if she was just to become another number in his ever growing list. She’d been willing to sacrifice what pride she had left just for a taste, knowing there would be only heartbreak in the morning. 

But as she looked at him now, his eyes wide and earnest, she felt hope bloom in her chest. Maybe, just maybe, she wasn’t imagining that look in his eyes. Maybe he actually did care about her, as he so passionately claimed to the night Hux cornered her by the pool. 

“Rey?” He moved to distance himself further, looking away in what she recognized to be shame. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

“Shut up.” She shook her head, grabbing his face in her hands and throwing herself forward.

Her lips crashed against his desperately, her hands holding him close, even as he froze beneath her. His surprise didn’t last long, thankfully, and a moment later his arms were wrapped around her, pulling her legs around him as she settled over his lap. 

“You, Ben Solo,” She growled between kisses, “are an idiot.”

He nodded his head in agreement as his mouth continued devouring her, his hands running up and down the length of her spine. The sensation sent goosebumps flying across her skin, a breathy sigh leaving her lips as her head dropped back, his mouth immediately resuming it’s feast along the skin of her throat. 

She reached back, running her hands along his thighs, reveling in the way he shivered beneath her. She rolled her hips down, feeling his hardness ready and waiting against his stomach. Pulling her hands back up, she grabbed his face in her hands, forcing his mouth from her skin and meeting his eyes with a desire so all-consuming she wondered if it might be the end of her.

“Take me Ben. Take me now.”

He searched her eyes once more, this time finding what he needed, and then launched himself forward, capturing her mouth as she pushed herself down onto his shaft. The moan that escaped her then was positively inhuman, yet it sounded so beautiful when mixed with his own. He was big, to be sure, but her body was more than ready, and he filled her up like he was made to. 

Pulling her legs out from beneath her thighs, she leaned back, granting him access to the deepest depths of her body, rolling into him as he began to thrust in time with her moans. His hands flew up, running over her small chest and down the sensitive skin of her abdomen. One remained at the base, massaging her into a state of catatonia as his other hand reached for her neck, cradling her as he pulled her in for a blinding, bruising kiss. 

“You are _everything_.” Ben whispered, biting her lip between his teeth. “ _Absolutely everything_.”

“Then _give_ me everything.” She demanded, her mouth falling open as her body readied itself for another explosive release. “Cum with me. _Ahhhh... Ben_ … _Please._  I _need_ you to cum with me.”

He nodded fervently against her chest, his hair tickling her chin as his thrusts grew more and more rapid, his grunts and groans melding with her own, playing a symphony of passion and lust until finally her body could take no more, every muscle pulsing out into a blinding light as she came around him, panting his name like it was the air she needed to breathe. He followed with her, the warmth of his release filling her to the brim, her name repeated like a prayer into the night. 

They came down from the high together, sweat dripping down their skin, chests heaving in time with one another, until finally he loosened his hold enough to look her in the face.

“Rey…”

She shook her head, pressing a single finger to his lips to silence him. 

“That,” She whispered, pressing her forehead against his, “was spectacular.”

He huffed out a laugh and then smiled, a bright, blinding thing in the darkness of the room. The hand that was still knotted in her hair began to move gently, massaging the base of her neck as he lay her back against the pillows and pulled out ever so slowly. She missed him even before he was gone, and a look crossed his face that told her he felt exactly the same. But rather than pulling away and slipping from the bed as she knew she should, she allowed him to roll her onto his chest, placing her head over his racing heart as she tangled her legs with his.

There would be time to deal with the ramifications later. For now, the night was still theirs, and there wasn’t a soul on this Earth that could take it from them. 

____________________

Leia stared out the window of her office, another glass of Corellian in hand, as Rose Tico and Kaydel Connix poured over their respective laptops behind her.

Had it really only been a few days since she'd last stood at another window, nursing another glass of the same - frankly terrible - whiskey, fretting about the same letter from her knuckle-headed brother? 

It had, though it certainly _felt_ like a lifetime ago.

Somewhere in the distance, Poe Dameron and Finn Newman were on their way to Canto Bight on a fool's errand to try and save Rey and Ben. They’d gone without hesitation, without so much as a second thought. And she, in her infinite wisdom, had let them. She let them walk into danger, even though she knew full well that there was little they would be able to do to stop whatever was coming, if they even made it to the city in time. 

The truth was that there was only one hope now, and it rested in the hands of a man she’d forced herself to believe dead long ago. Not that she could tell anyone else that. 

“From what I can tell,” Rose began, scrunching up her nose as she leaned dangerously close to her screen, “They reentered the hotel about an hour ago, and went immediately to their suite.”

“Then why in God’s name aren’t they answering any of their phones?” Kaydel cried, dropping back against the couch and throwing her arm over her eyes dramatically. 

“That is a great questi - wait…” Rose managed to lean in further, clicking her mouse rapidly. “No way. No _freaking_ way.”

“What?” Leia spun, rushing from the window, “What is it?”

Rose pulled back from the screen, staring at it slack jawed while Kaydel leaned over her shoulder to see what all the fuss was about.

“Oh my God.” Kaydel gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth. “Oh my GOD!”

“Rose!” Leia huffed impatiently. “What on _Earth_ is going on!?”

A smile spread on the girl’s face as she slowly looked up, spinning her laptop around for Leia to see what all the fuss was about.

“Pour yourself another glass of that whiskey Mrs. Organa.” Rose replied smugly, as the image from the hotel hallway played on repeat before her eyes. “There might be grand-kids in your future after all.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so be honest. How did I do? 
> 
> Also, as "promised" last chapter, I have added [character profiles](https://altargareyen.tumblr.com/firstorderfiles) to my [Tumblr](https://altargareyen.tumblr.com/firstorderfiles) page. They didn't format how I originally intended (picture old-timey FBI files with typewriter font and all that jazz), but I stayed up waaaaay later than I realized making them, so, you know, someone please check them out.
> 
> Also, I've got a crazy couple of weeks ahead of me, so it may be a minute before the next chapter roles around. But I have the strong suspicion we'll all be rather distracted for a while anyway. Did someone say Monday Night Football?


	16. Feelings

Ben woke slowly, his body becoming aware of his bed-mate before his eyes flickered open to confirm. At some point in the night Rey’s head had shifted off his chest, and his body had moved to follow, spooning her close as his arms wrapped protectively around her torso. He could feel her gentle breathing beneath his hands, steady and peaceful, her intoxicating aroma forever ingrained in his memory as he nuzzled against her neck, pressing a languid kiss to the blade of her shoulder. 

What he wouldn’t give to wake up this way every morning. To rise well rested after a night of passionate lovemaking to find the woman of his dreams cuddled safely in his embrace. To wake her with teasing kisses and wayward hands and worship her the way she ought to be worshiped every moment of her life. 

She shifted beneath his lips, humming softly. He froze at the movement, hoping he hadn’t woken her from her slumber and shattered the illusion he was desperate to drag out as long as he possibly could. Once Rey woke it would all be over, the reality of what last night meant forced into full view. 

For Ben, that meant a shattered heart. There was little doubt that she would push him away and he would let her, no matter how badly he wanted to hold her close; To tell her the truth of who he was and why he couldn’t be with her; To forget the past that haunted him and build a future with the woman he loved.

And he did didn’t he? 

His stomach sank as the truth settled over him. He’d denied it countless times, both to himself and to others. But that, like so much else in his life, was just another lie. He truly, deeply loved her. And if these last few moments of silence were all he was to have with her, he would have to make his peace with that.  

Pulling her tighter against his chest, he buried his nose into the soft hair pooled at the base of her neck, breathing her in as if she was oxygen itself, letting the soothing rhythm of her breathing lull him back to sleep. 

It was a firm knock at their suite door that woke him next. That, or the way Rey jolted beneath him. He groaned at the unwelcome intrusion into their peaceful dreamworld, grabbing her closer as he let out a groggy grunt of disagreement.

“Ben.” Rey’s ragged whisper shot heat up his spine, a hint of humor audible as she pushed back on the arm that held her in a vice grip. “You have to let me up.”

He shook his head against her back, petulantly replying, “No.”

Rey chuckled, reaching up to run a hand through his hair. The knocking on the door began again, and she let out a sigh, pushing down against his arm once more. 

“Please? I’ll come right back.”

Buoyed by that promise, Ben relented, dropping his arm just enough for her to shimmy away before flopping onto his back with a groan of child-like disagreement.

Rey laughed again, a thrilling sound, and he popped one eye open to watch her slink across his room, the morning sunlight illuminating the curve of her back in an angelic glow. She managed to find a robe, much to his dismay, and slipped it on over her shoulders before exiting his room. 

It was a woman at their door if the pitch and tone of the voice he heard murmuring was anything to go by, and Rey returned a minute later with a manila envelope in hand.

He forced his eyes open completely, sitting up on his elbows as she entered the room in something of a daze. “What is it?”

“We were selected as a finalist.” She said simply, pulling her eyes away from the paperwork and meeting his expectant gaze. “We’re expected to be downstairs in a half hour for all those invite-only meetings on the schedule.”

He met her eyes then, something that looked like regret passing over her face. This was it then. Their night together officially at its end. 

“Great.” He replied, thinking in that moment that it was anything but. “That’s…That’s great.”

“Yeah.” She nodded, looking down. “So, um, I’m going to go shower and... yeah. I’ll… see you in a few?”

He watched as her cheeks grew red, standing there in a plush white robe, her hair disheveled and her lips swollen. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to spring forth from his bed and capture her in a searing kiss, tearing her from that infuriating robe and spending the rest of the day making her gasp his name until she forced him to let her leave his bed. 

Instead, he nodded, resigned to the fact that his fate would instead take him to yet another cold boardroom, rather than the warmth of her arms. 

“Sure.” He murmured, watching her turn away. “See you in a few.”

He moved slowly, forcing himself to rise from the bed. Then, after taking a long glance at the twisted sheets where mere hours before his dreams had finally become a reality, he made himself walk to his own bathroom, trying his best not to dwell on the way she’d hesitated at his door before scurrying away like he’d burned her.

__________________________

“Fork it over Rosie.” Kaydel extended her hand, palm open.

Rose groaned, rolling her eyes as she dug her wallet out of her bag and handed the money to Kaydel.

“Thank you.” Kay said, a smug smile lighting up her face. “I told you getting them out of Coruscant together would get the job done.”

“Yeah yeah, don’t get too smug about it.” Rose shook her head, “We still have to get them home safe.”

“Fair.” Kaydel nodded solemnly as she bent over Rose’s computer screen to watch Ben and Rey make their way down the hall to the elevator, Rey’s gait noticeably stiffer than normal. “But lord, look at the way she’s walking. I always figured he’d be a good lay, but…” Kay whistled. “She looks downright _debauched_.”

“Who looks debauched?” Leia entered the room then, three mugs in hand, setting them down on the coffee table as she joined them in Ben’s living room, where they’d all camped out the night before. 

“Nobody.” Rose replied quickly, only to be overridden by Kaydel’s smug “Just our Rey of Sunshine.”

Leia lifted her mug to her lips, a mischievous smile hinting at the corners of her mouth.“Does Rey look like she enjoyed her evening?”

“You, uh…” Rose shot an awkward glance at Kaydel before lowering her head to the screen. “You could say that, yes.”

Leia’s grin grew downright devilish. “Good. It’s about time that boy put his father’s genes to good use.”

What tea had made its way into Kaydel’s mouth was promptly spewed across the hardwood floors as Rose’s own face turned a shade of red so deep she might’ve been mistaken for a tomato.

“Leia!” Kaydel cried.

“What?” Leia sat back smugly. “Spit out all the tea you want ladies but the facts are the facts. Once you go Solo, you never go back.”

__________________________

Poe hadn’t realized just how much he missed flying. The freedom of it, combined with the thrilling sense of control. It was exhilarating. Or so it had been, until he rolled into Canto Bight airspace, his dad’s old relic of a plane on its last legs, only to be told they didn’t have permission to land. 

“What do you mean I don’t have permission to land!?!” He bellowed into his radio headset. “I’m flying over City Center as we speak. AND I’m running on fumes! Do you _want_ me to do a nose dive into downtown!?! Because damn it, I WILL!”

“ _Poe._ ” Finn gripped his arm, shooting him a warning glare as the radio static echoed in his ear.

“What!?” He shot back. “We’re going down one way or another. If I’m going to die today you bet your ass it’s going to be in a blaze of glory.”

“Just…” Finn looked out at the skyline below them, inching closer by the second as the sun began its slow dip below the sea. “Can you at least try and be diplomatic?” 

“That would require they give me the opportunity.”

“Well when you come in hot the second they question you…”

“It’s called aggressive negotiations.”

“And it’s going to get us both killed if you don’t get your head out of your -”

“Black One? Come in Black One. Do you copy?”

Poe spun back, cutting Finn off mid sentence and initiating his radio. 

“Roger. This is Black One.”

“Oh good.” A new, female voice answered. “Hello Dameron. Ignore the idiots at the airport. You’re coming in with me.”

Poe looked to Finn then back at the radio again, a shared look of bafflement crossing between them. “And who exactly are you?”

“The name’s Maz.” The voice answered. “I’m an old friend of your mother’s.”

Poe froze, his mouth dropping open. “My mother?”

“Yes.” Maz snapped impatiently. “ Now wipe that surprise off your face and get control of that plane. I don’t have lights up here, so you’re going to have a bumpy landing.”

_________________________

Eight hours.

They’d been in these meetings for _eight bloody hours_. Eight hours of torturous monotony, running through presentation after presentation, their phones and computers locked on the other side of the thick wooden door in what the Consortium insisted was a necessary security measure to avoid leaks. It was also eight hours in which she was forced to sit across the table from the man who mere hours before had been ravaging her senseless, waiting on pins and needles to discover what was to become of them when it was all over and the act was done.

She hadn’t been able to look him in the eyes since she left his bed, though that didn’t stop her from stealing glances as the hours dragged on, unable to keep her mind from wandering over all that had passed between them.

Waking up cocooned in the warmth of Ben’s body had been a dream, the feeling of his nose nuzzled against her neck so tender she nearly cried. He’d held her close, even in his unconscious slumber. And then she’d been startled awake by the pounding at the door, forced from the safety of his arms by the reality of their circumstances. She’d hardly had time to spare a glance at her cellphone, which was suddenly out of service, much less talk about _anything_. 

And what was there to say? She’d given in last night. They both had. But it didn’t mean anything. 

But there he was, his chiseled chest hidden beneath another sleek suit and tie, known to none in the room but her. She couldn’t stop her hands from flexing beneath the tabletop at the memory of his silky waves carded between her fingers every time he brushed it away from his forehead, a nervous tick of his that’d she’d always begrudgingly found endearing. Every time he spoke she heard her name breathed out from between his lips, desperate and needy, his irises blown wide and black as night. 

It was all she could do to pay an iota of attention to the words passing between the Consortium’s various parties, her mind battling over its conflicting priorities, these meetings at a steep disadvantage. 

She felt his eyes on her throughout the day, but every time she dared to look at him he’d already turned away, the tension between them simmering on a low heat, contained only for the sake of their hosts. The moment that buffer was gone, there would be nowhere for them to run.

What would he say to her when finally they were alone again? Would he cut her off and tell her it was all a mistake? Or would he ask for more from her? Could she give it?

“Miss Niima?”

She snapped out of her daze to find the room looking at her expectantly. Her eyes shot to Ben, who picked up on her embarrassment instantly, leaning in to cover for her. 

“Rey was saying just last night how much she enjoyed your mother’s company.” He replied smoothly. “Isn’t that right, Rey?”

“Oh yes.” Rey nodded a little too enthusiastically, entirely unsure where this conversation was heading. 

“Then you absolutely should join the ladies down at the spa before the gala. I know how much you hate golf, after all.” 

Rey met Ben’s gaze for the first time, noting that his amused smirk did not meet his eyes. Clearly she’d missed some rather important social decisions while drifting off into her wholly inappropriate daydreams.

“Wonderful!” Isolder clapped his hands together and rose from his seat, not bothering to wait for her response as the rest of the room following suit. “It’s more fun this way isn’t it? The suspense of seeing your partner all dressed up, not knowing what to expect until they’re on display for the whole world to see.”

Rey tensed as Isolder waxed poetic about the art of romancing, taking her hand on his arm as he pulled her out of the room.

“Thank you for all of your passion around this partnership” Isolder smiled brightly, stopping just outside the door as Ben hovered behind her. “We very much look forward to announcing our decision tonight. But!” He squeezed her hand before letting her drop away. “Now it is time to relax.”

“Thank you” Rey replied with a nod of her head.

“Nonsense!” Isolder boomed, “The only thing you could possibly have to thank me for is a moment away from your man, though I fear you may actually hold that against me.” He winked at her before looking up at Ben, missing the blush that spread across her face.

“We’re heading to the driving range in 20 minutes.”

Ben nodded, “I’ll be down in 15.”

“Good man.” Isolder smiled, reaching up to shake Ben’s hand, then her own, before turning away and leaving them standing just outside the boardroom, alone once more.

She didn’t realize just how tense she was until Ben’s fingers brushed lightly against her back, causing her to flinch at the unexpectedly tender touch. She regretted the reaction as soon as she looked up to find his expression crestfallen, his hand pulled back like she’d stung him.

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“Yes.” She lied, swallowing back the lump in her throat. “Thank you for covering for me back there. My mind was…”

“Elsewhere?”

She braved a glance at him, letting a small smile form on her lips. “You could say that.”

He shifted, his eyes roving over his face as his throat tensed. “Rey… before you go down there…”

Here it was, the moment she’d been dreading all day. He was looking at her now like he was about to break in two, anxiety radiating off him in waves. Or maybe that was her own fears; her heart rate skyrocketing as she forced herself to look into his guarded gaze. His lips opened slowly, his mind seemingly working out exactly what it was he planned to say, only to be cut short by the arrival of the irritating red headed woman who seemed determined to interrupt them at the most inopportune times.

“Miss Niima!” Allana exclaimed, rushing down the hall toward them. “Come, come. Mrs. Chume is waiting for you downstairs.”

“I.. oh.. Wait..” She looked to Ben, watching his shoulders sag, though whether in disappointment or relief she could not say. 

“It’s okay.” Ben nodded his head for her to follow Allana. “Don’t want to keep them waiting.”

Rey hesitated, a sinking feeling creeping through her gut. “Are you sure? I can…”

“Really.” His lips moved to form a thoroughly unconvincing smile. “We’ll talk later. Enjoy yourself.”

Rey’s mouth dropped open as if she was about to resist, but before she could conjure up the words he had already turned away.

“You too.” She murmured, watching as he sped away from her without so much as a second glance.

A dainty hand landed on her arm then, forcing her out of her downward spiral.

“Come on Miss Niima.” Allana chirped, far too chipper given Rey’s dark mood. “By the time they’re done with you downstairs, Mr. Solo won’t know what hit him.”

Sighing deeply, Rey let the woman lead her away, sparing one last glance at the long dark leg as it turned the corner and disappeared from view. 

__________________________

Finn had never been so happy to be on solid ground, having fallen to his knees on the makeshift runway and kissing the ground repeatedly as soon as he’d escaped the death trap that was Black One.

“Oh come on.” Poe had rolled his eyes, smacking him on the back as he passed him. “That was a smooth landing compared to some of the stunts we pulled in the Air Force.”

Finn had no doubt that was true, just as he knew he would not ever be stepping foot on that plane again, commercial prices be damned.

No sooner had they landed than the woman who’d called herself Maz approached, exiting a shanty little cottage not to far from the patch of grass she’d made them land on in the dark of night, resting atop a plateau that overlooked the city below. 

“Poe Dameron!” She called out in a booming voice that seemed altogether too loud to be coming from a woman of her size. Poe looked like he’d been struck dumb by the little orange woman who somehow knew his name, her eyes seemingly bugging off her face behind over-sized spectacles. 

“Kriff you look like Shara.” Maz commented, yanking Poe down by the hand and running her hands through his hair. “Same enviable curls.”

“How did you know we were coming?” Finn questioned, standing above them with his arms crossed defensively. 

Maz looked to him for the first time, peeking up at him over the edges of her glasses with a stare that made what remained of his nerves melt into a puddle of goo. 

“How did you know my mother?” Poe muttered from below, still on his knees to get to Maz’s eye-line.

“That is a story for another time.” Maz replied, looking between them with appraisingly. “Now come. There is much to discuss, and we are running short on time.”

She let go of Poe and turned, heading back to the cottage with the two men on her heels.

“Leia called me.” Maz began, at least having the decency to answer his question. “Thought I might’ve heard from Ben.” She turned back to look at them. “I have by the way. So this crazy rescue attempt of yours was more than a tad dramatic.” Poe and Finn exchanged a look as Maz continued on. “He came by my place last night with the girl. Left my place in shambles too. Damn Hutts.”

“What are you talking about?” Finn prodded, stepping forward. “Is Rey alright?”

“Yes yes.” Maz waved her hand. “It’s my fault really. I knew she was going to hustle the table. I should’ve known better than to put her with Jabba Hutt. Never mind that though. They got away clear enough. That’s not the problem.”

“Then what _is_ the problem?” 

Maz stopped and turned back to glare at him. “The _problem._ ” She emphasized, “Is that the Hutt’s are working with the First Order. And they’re both in cahoots with at least one member of the Hapes Consortium board.”

“Yeah.” Poe replied, crossing his arms. “We know that already. They’re planning some kind of attack, right? That’s why we came. Ben and Rey haven’t been answering our calls. We needed to warn them.”

Maz shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s too late for that. The Consortium has had them under lock and key all day. Meeting after meeting. Not to mention that the hotel staff seems to be in on whatever is going on. I think they’ve blocked cell service altogether."

“Well what the hell!” Finn exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. “There has to be something we can do!”

“There is.” Maz nodded, her orange tinted skin glowing strangely in the porch light as she reached up to open the door of the shanty. “There are two plan in motion tonight. And now, with you here, there is a chance that we can stop them both.”

The door swung open to reveal a single room, stuffed to the brim with mismatched furniture and strange trinkets of all shapes and sizes. Most notable, however, was the man sitting at the table in the center of the space.

Poe gasped beside him as the man looked up, piercing blue eyes visible in the dim firelight, his graying beard hiding the lines of his mouth. “No…”

Finn looked back forth to all parties in the room, desperate the understand the tension simmering dangerously between them all.

“You’re supposed to be dead!” Poe growled, taking a step closer, his hands fisting at his side.

“I am.” The man nodded solemnly, tightening his grip on the mug in front of him.

“Then what the hell is going on here!?” Poe demanded, looking down at Maz accusingly. “Does Leia know about this?”

“Does Leia know about what?” Finn demanded in a huff. He hated not knowing what was going on. Especially when he appeared to be the only one. He turned to the man at the table, leveling his stare upon him. “Who are you?”

The man rose slowly, setting his mug of tea on the table and straightening his back so that he stood at his full height. 

“My name is Luke Skywalker.” He said, “I’m here to help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First, for those of you still reading, I am SO sorry that this chapter took me this long. I've hit a real hump and the writing inspiration well has seriously dried up. If you're still around and want me to continue, please let me know. With TRoS so close, the holidays approaching, and the sun setting at an ungodly hour in this part of the world, every word of encouragement really makes a big difference. I hope to find my mojo again soon.


	17. Let's Fall in Love for the Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: My Spotify Wrapped happily reminded me that I have listened to my playlist for this story more than anything else this year, with the first song for this chapter coming in at #1. Whoops!
> 
> This chapter is brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Let's Fall in Love for the Night - FINNEAS  
> Feelings - Lauv  
> Can't Help Falling in Love - Elvis Presley  
> 

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/49189424198/in/datetaken/)

“Tell me again why one of us couldn’t go with Luke?” Finn questioned as he skidded to a halt behind Maz and Poe, the former peeking from behind the wall they were crouched behind before gesturing for them to follow. 

They’d left Maz’s cottage on the plateau over an hour ago, trekking their way down the cliff-side until they reached the edge of the city. 

“ _Because_.” Maz grumbled from up ahead, “Luke is the only one of us who is currently a guest at the hotel and therefore the only one who can get through security. Besides, his job is easy. I need all the man-power I can get if we’re going to make it out of here in one piece.”

“Well I don’t like it.” Finn snapped. “I don’t trust him.”

“I don’t need you to trust him.” Maz replied, stopping short and then quickly jumping behind a large wooden storage box. “I need you to stop the First Order from getting away with the Consortium’s research.”

Finn opened his mouth to fire back only to be cut short by a squeeze on the arm from Poe. “Let it go.” He warned warily. ”I don’t like this anymore than you do, but we have a job to do. We’re going to have to trust Luke to do his.”

“Fine.” Finn grunted, still less than satisfied. “But is someone going to tell me what the plan is here?”

The sound of metal on metal squealed from the other side of their hiding spot, multiple male voices chattering far enough away that it was impossible to make out full sentences. 

_“...get...boss...tomorrow...filthy...fuckers.”_

Poe, Maz and Finn exchanged a confused glance as they pressed further into the wooden box, trying to make out the words.

_“Hux wants this clean. That’s what he’s paying you for.”_

_“Ah fuck Hux. If ya wanted clean ya wouldna hired us, now would ya?”_

_“We wanted the job done. That’s what Jabba promised.”_

_“And we’re gonna get the job done, aight? There ain’t nobody out here. The only reason our hands’ll get dirty is if you don’t shut your yapper.”_

The men passed by their hiding spot, heading toward a crevice in the cliff-side. Once they were out of earshot, Maz turned back. 

“Our plan,” She started, “Is to follow them. That crack in the rock leads into a storage facility. The Consortium keeps all their gadgets and gizmos hidden inside.”

Finn popped his head above the container to get a better look. “How? It hardly seems big enough for a person to get through, much less a…”

He was cut short as the rock began to shift, sliding to the side and revealing a much larger gap in the cliff-side. 

“That’s how.” Maz replied, pulling the gun out of her holster and moving out from behind the box. The three of them skirted the edge of the cliff, managing to sneak inside the mysterious storage fortress just as the rock began to shift again, closing them inside. 

It was a fortress by every definition of the word. Shelves stuffed with enormous wooden boxes stretched beyond what was visible, the cavernous warehouse seemingly endless. 

“Well shit.” Poe muttered, swiveling around on his heels. “Now what?”

“Now we take the high ground.” Maz replaced her gun it’s holster and reached up to grab one of the shelves. “I hope you boys know how climb.”

Poe patted Finn’s shoulder as he passed him to climb up behind Maz. “Good thing you’ve been going to that climbing gym with Rey, right?”

“Yeah…” Finn gulped, looking skyward with no small amount of fear. “Good thing.”

———————————————

Rey returned to an empty hotel suite covered in more oils and soaps than a beauty supply store, her skin shimmering beneath a full face of professional makeup, and her hair curled to perfection in a loose, romantic updo. 

In a way, Ben’s absence was a blessing. Despite the afternoon of lavish spa services, Rey was still very much on edge. For starters, her cellphone service was out. Which, aside from being highly suspicious, also denied her any kind of escape from the torment of being poked and prodded, both physically and emotionally, for hours on end. For every relaxing massage, there’d been an equally awkward conversation with one of the wives or female board members, each of them downing champagne like water as they pestered her with questions about the very man who was already consuming all her thoughts. 

_“How did you two end up together?”_

_“How downright steamy it must be, working for your boss.”_

_“Is he as wild in bed as the gossip rags say?”_

_“How do you feel about his past?”_

_“Do you think he’ll marry you? He doesn’t seem like the type.”_

While she’d managed to avoid actually answering any of their incredibly invasive questions, the seeds of doubt were planted nonetheless.  They knew nothing about her, or Ben, or their relationship, yet somehow they needled their way right to the core of all her insecurities, forcing her to actually stop and _think._  

Their night together had been nothing short of exhilarating, waking up in his arms something out of a dream. But that was all it was: a dream. There was no world in which they could ever be anything more. No matter what she wore, who she worked for or how much she made, she was not part of his world. She would never be a suitable wife for the heir of the Skywalker legacy, a fact she’d never even considered until having it posed this afternoon, the women around her a stark reminder of everything she would never be. 

And even if that wasn’t the case, being with Ben would mean that she would be forced to give up her work for the Resistance. Her nights on the streets would have to end, her time spent playing arm candy instead. She wasn’t sure she was ready for that. She wasn’t sure she ever would be. There was too much to do, too many people to protect. 

Rey threw herself onto the couch, sucking down a deep breath as she tried to calm her racing heart. The war inside her mind was futile at this point anyway. For all she knew, Ben would cut the cord before anything could even begin. 

She turned her head with a huff, wishing to avoid the impending awkwardness that was sure to await her at the gala, when she noticed a note, folded up on the coffee table in front of her. She reached for it clumsily, wishing she had some sort of magnetic force power that allowed her to remain sprawled upside down on the couch. Instead, she forced herself into an upright position and unfolded the crisp hotel stationary, recognizing the handwriting immediately.

> _Rey,_
> 
> _Isolder insisted we meet downstairs for a drink before the gala. It looks like cell service is down, so I wanted to make sure you didn’t wait for me. I’ll meet you in the lobby at 7. I hope you enjoyed your afternoon._
> 
> _Ben_

Rey looked to the microwave clock in the kitchenette to realize that she only had eight minutes until the aforementioned time. Forcing herself off the couch with a groan, she wandered into her room and pulled out the last unopened garment bag, containing the ballgown Kaydel packed for her. Unzipping the bag, she immediately felt her stomach drop. 

Red. The dress was red. And form fitting with a low v-cut neck and open back. Rey let out a groan.

_Subtle Kay. Very subtle._

If she’d been the salacious talk of the hotel before, she would be doing herself no favors dressed like this tonight. After bolstering her knives at the crux of her thigh, she managed to zip the dress up on her own, with no small degree of difficulty, turning to the clock to find that her eight minutes were up. With a resigned sigh, she took one quick look in the mirror, grabbed her clutch, and fled the room, dread pooling low in her gut. 

Despite the self-conscious pit that settled in her stomach as she rode down the elevator alone, the moment Ben set eyes on her it all washed away. He’d been leaning against the marble pillar, waiting for her. But the moment the elevator doors open and he spotted her in full view, he shot stiff, staring at her like she hung the moon, his lips parted ever so slightly as his eyes caressed their way down her body, taking the same path his hands had the night before. 

“Hi.” She said as she approached, taking full advantage of his dumbstruck daze to admire just how unfairly _good_ he looked in his tux. “You look nice.”

His parted lips fell open further, pride shooting through her veins at having caught him speechless. 

“I…” He coughed awkwardly, shaking his head as if breaking from a trance. “Uh... thank you. You look…”

“Alright I hope.” She teased, trying to hide her own blush. “Considering how long I spent stuck in that spa chair.”

“Breathtaking.” He breathed out, the roguish smirk he inherited from his father teasing the corner of his mouth. “You look breathtaking.”

Rey looked up, meeting his gaze directly for the first time only to find herself stunned silent by the sheer force of it. His molten chocolate eyes blew wider the longer they stared at one another, until finally his smirk bloomed into a full fledged smile. 

“Shall we?” He asked, offering up his arm. 

Rey nodded, placing her hand over his forearm and letting him lead the way into the hotel ballroom. 

“How was the driving range?”

Ben grunted. “It was… fine.”

Rey smirked, quirking her brow as she turned to look at him. “Just fine?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged, clearly uncomfortable elaborating further. “How was the spa?”

Rey thought on in for a moment, recalling the way the woman gaggled over a relationship she wasn’t actually in. 

“It was fine.”

Ben looked down, brow quirked. 

“What?” She questioned, turning to face forward.

“Something is bothering you.”

Rey huffed. Was she really so easy to read? “No. It’s not… I don’t know…”

“If it makes you feel any better, it’s not my crowd either.”

Rey looked up, finding Ben’s gaze soft and understanding. “Really?”

“No.” Ben shook his head, turning away as she guided her toward the open doors. “I would’ve much rather spent the afternoon with you.”

Rey stiffened, turning to look up at him in shock. She must not have heard him right. Before she had a chance to question him, however, they were approached by Allana, who was eyeing Ben like a slice of cake yet again. Rey’s hand tightened on his arm as the woman made her way toward them, her low cut blue dress leaving little to the imagination.

“Mr. Solo, Miss Niima.” Allana smiled, handing them a card. “Here is your table. You’ll be toward the front, over there.”

“Thank you Allana.” Ben replied, flipping open parchment to read the printed words inside.

“You’ve both cleaned up quite nicely.” Allana continued, her ploy to turn his attention back to her pitifully transparent. “Black really suits you.”

Ben looked up, stunned for a moment, then turned to look Rey up and down. “Red you mean?”

Allana stuttered, looking to Rey with wide eyes, her cheeks flushing brightly. “I… yes. You do look ravishing Miss Niima.”

Ben’s eyes lingered on Rey’s chest a moment longer than was appropriate before they drifted upward. With a conspiratorial wink, he smirked. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was trying to kill me.”

Rey’s heart soared at his praise, her brain short circuiting as his arm dropped to her waist. 

“Come on darling.” His hand pushed her forward gently. “We should find our seats. Preferably before I rip this thing off and ravish you in front of our hosts.”

Rey nodded to Allana as they passed her by, more than a little smug to find her gaping at the two of them with an expression of stunned embarrassment. As soon as they were out of earshot, Rey pinched the man’s arm.

“Ow.” Ben flinched. “What was that for?”

“What was that?” She chided.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Liar.”

Ben gasped dramatically. “I resent that.”

Rey couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as she ducked her eyes and shook her head. “You’re a scoundrel Ben Solo.”

“Maybe.” He shrugged, eyeing her teasingly. “But I think you like that about me.”

They were interrupted by a board member before she could respond, forced to make small talk as Rey finally took a moment to observe the room around them. The ballroom had been transformed since their dinner two nights prior, the walls blown out and the lights dimmed. A dance floor sat in the center of the space, directly below the enormous crystal chandelier that hung in its place as the centerpiece. 

Eventually they managed to make it to their table, suspiciously close to the stage where Isolder would no doubt be making a very showy announcement about the outcome of the week’s events. 

“This is a good sign, I think.” Ben leaned over to whisper in her ear as he pulled out her chair, taking her hand to help her down before settling into his own seat beside her. 

“I sure hope so.” She replied, pulling her napkin onto her lap as the rest of the table began to fill out. Isolder and his wife sat across from them, alongside Ta’a Chume and a number of other Consortium board members.

She wanted to feel comforted by their location, certain that their company spelled good news for Skywalker Industries’s future with the Hapes Consortium. But even as the conversation at the table continued on pleasantly, Rey could feel Armitage Hux’s eyes glaring daggers into her bare back from his seat not too far away. She’d spotted him as they’d walked to their table, making a point to note his location while avoiding looking his way. Something felt off in the room, and Hux was hardly the only unfriendly gaze following them tonight. She’d had no chance to communicate with the Resistance all day, and as she sat there in that ballroom surrounded by enemies on all sides, she had the terrible suspicion that there was something she needed to know. 

Ben must’ve had a sixth sense, for his arm found its way across the back of her chair. It was a casual gesture, yet there was something protective about the way he leaned in closer, as if guarding her from unwanted eyes. She snuck a glance at him, noting the forced nature of his smile and the stiff muscles pulsing in his neck.

“Well.” Isolder laid down his fork with a dramatic flourish as they all finished their meals, standing from his seat with a clap. “I think it’s time we made our announcement, yes?”

The man spun around with more charm than was altogether reasonable, practically dancing his way onto the stage as the lights dimmed around them. 

“Good evening ladies and gentleman.” He started, his booming voice quickly silencing the chatter of the room. “May I start by saying that we really need to do this more often. Dinner was wonderful of course, but it is all of you who look truly delicious.” Isolder’s eyes landed briefly on Rey, winking at her conspiratorially. Ben’s arm flexed behind her shoulders, matching the flush that spread across her face, blessedly hidden in the darkness. 

“As you all know, these last few days have been of critical importance with regard to the future of the Hapes Consortium. We do not take any decisions lightly, and a partnership of this magnitude is certainly no exception. It is for that reason that I would like to thank each and every one of you for the time and work you have put into all of your proposals. I realize this method of decision making is a tad… unorthodox. But then again, what word could better describe the Hapes Consortium? You’re willingness to humor us speaks volumes.” 

A rumble of laughter cascaded throughout the room, as Isolder’s smile grew brighter. “Now, I know that there will be some disappointed parties at the end of this little speech, but please do not let that stop you from drinking us dry. I fully expect to dance with each and every one of you before the night is through. And yes Kizer, that includes you.” Isolder garnered more laughter, pointing toward the back of the room at the unsuspecting recipient of his joke. 

“But now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for.” Isolder rolled his shoulders dramatically, tabbing the card in his hand like an award show host. “After much deliberation, myself, along with the rest of the board, have determined that while it would be an honor to work with any one of your companies, there is only one whose vision of the future aligns fully with our own. And so, with unbridled optimism for the future laid out before us, I am pleased to announce that the Hapes Consortium will be partnering with…”

Rey though she was going to be sick. Her hand found its way to Ben’s thigh, gripping hard to anchor herself to reality as Isolder paused to tortuous effect, his smile growing broader as he soaked in what little air remained in the room. Ben squeezed her shoulder in return, his soothing touch releasing some small amount of tension. 

“Breathe Rey.” He murmured, leaning into her ear. She let out the breath she’d been holding, just as Isolder’s eyes drifted their way.

“...Skywalker Industries!”

Rey’s whole body sank in her seat as she let out a laugh. They’d done it. All their months of work, the nights spent at the office, the fights and barbs. It had all been worth it. 

“We did it.” She gasped, unsure if she was about to laugh or cry.

“No.” Ben murmured, shaking his head as he smiled at her, “ _You_ did it.”

She opened her mouth to object but was cut off by the Consortium board members who had gathered around to shake their hands and congratulate them. 

_“We are so pleased to be working with you.”_

_“This is the start of a long and fruitful partnership, I have little doubt.”_

_“How wonderful that we will continue working together.”_

“Hey hey hey!” Isolder’s voice cut through the chaos, pushing aside his fellow board members until he stood before them, chest puffed out proudly. 

“Hello partners.” He smiled giddily. “May I have the first dance?”

“Of course.” Ben replied smoothly, “Where is your lovely wife?”

Ben offered a hand to Rey as he helped her up from her chair, squeezing it gently before letting go to offer his arm to Mrs. Chume. Isolder did the same for her, guiding her swiftly away from their table and onto the dance floor. 

“Do you dance Miss Niima?” Isolder asked as he spun her to the center of the floor.

“I have.” She replied easily, “Though it’d be a lie to say I dance well.” 

Isolder laughed as he placed his hand politely on her lower back, his other remaining wrapped around hers as he held it out in proper hold. “Never fear. I will lead the way.”

Rey did not recognized the song playing overhead as she allowed Isolder to guide her around the dance floor. They made polite conversation, and she laughed genuinely at all of his jokes. But as the dance wore on, she found her eyes drifting to Ben, watching as he politely spun Mrs. Chume before reclaiming her and swaying to the music. He looked like a prince, like those old cartoons Rose had insisted they watch the moment she found out Rey had never seen them. 

The dance floor filled up as the song came to an end and the next one began, leaving Rey feeling slightly disoriented.

“You’re a lovely dancer Miss Niima.” Isolder complimented, kissing her hand smoothly. “Mr. Solo is truly a lucky, lucky man.”

“Yes I am.” 

Rey spun at the sound of Ben’s voice to find him standing just behind her, a gentle smile playing at the corners of his mouth. 

“If you don’t mind Isolder,” He murmured softly, his eyes flickering over her face, “I’d like to steal Miss Niima away for a while.”

Isolder chuckled, taking the hand he was still holding and offering it to Ben. “Why of course. Take good care of her, you hear me?”

Ben took Rey’s hand gently, biting the corner of his mouth as she met his gaze, letting him pull her closer, the tender look in his eyes melting her already fragile heart. 

“Always.” 

——————————-

Luke Skywalker stood in the shadows of the grand ballroom, watching as his only nephew led his sister’s dearest protégée around the dance floor. He hadn’t set eyes upon Ben in years and in those years the boy he’d once known had transformed, becoming a man who was now nearly unrecognizable. 

As a child Ben had been sweet and affectionate. Quick with a leg hug and or a sweet little hand tug, the big brown eyes he’d inherited from his mother too adorable to turn away. Curious and thoughtful, he’d park himself in Luke’s office for hours, listing off a thousand questions, too smart, or perhaps just too stubborn to leave until he got the “big people” answer he desired. He’d worshiped his father and adored his mother yet somehow found the space in his heart to declare that it was his goofy and eccentric uncle who claimed the coveted role of his hero. 

Things changed as the boy grew into a teenager. Adolescence wasn’t particularly kind to Ben. He’d shot up like a bean sprout, without the time to build up the muscle mass to match. The growth spurt left him tall and gangly, with ears that poked out of the hair his mother kept short and features that weren’t considered “traditionally” attractive. To make matters worse, his high profile parents were at the height of their careers, leaving Ben alone for long stretches of time, often only seeing his mother when forced to pose for what felt like an endless supply of campaign shots with a mouth full of metal and a fresh face of acne.

Luke had watched as the bright and cheerful boy he loved sank in on himself, growing more brooding and reclusive with each day that passed. Finally, after rather unfortunate snafu with a reporter following Leia’s re-election to the Senate, Han and Leia decided it was time to step in, and Ben began working at Skywalker Industries in his free time, shadowing his uncle and learning the ropes. 

For a while, Ben seemed to be doing better. He smiled more, engaged with the cohorts of interns, even took a break to try out for his school’s take on Hamlet, simultaneously nabbing the leading role and a relatively short-lived girlfriend. And it was Luke he came to with all of it. He was his mentor, his friend, and on occasion the stand-in parent. But underneath the facade, Luke sensed the pain. 

Ben had friends, but he was still lonely. He did well in school, but he had no passion for it. He grew into his body, but he still carried himself like he hadn’t, self-conscious anxiety rolling off him in waves. 

Then it came time for college, where Ben opted to stay relatively close to home at the prestigious Coruscant University. He roomed with Poe Dameron, had another short-lived relationship, and even tacked on Classical Lit as a minor to supplement the dry nature of his business classes. They all thought he seemed to be doing well, and though his calls became less frequent and his stops home increasingly rare, no one saw any cause for concern. He was simply becoming his own man.

Little did they know that the nights they thought he was partying or attending games with friends were actually being spent with the man who’d wormed his way into Ben’s confidence, quickly replacing Luke as his mentor: Snoke. 

It had been easy to blame Ben for the choices he made, but in the end, Luke knew that the fault for what happened really rested with him.

When he’d eventually discovered Ben’s evolving loyalties, he’d lost it, coming to blows over dinner on a rare night where Ben actually came home. And rather than apologizing, or hearing him out in the first place, he’d pushed Ben right back into the arms of the very man they wanted to keep him away from. 

The last time Luke Skywalker had laid eyes upon his nephew, Ben had been storming out of his office, hateful words having been spewed by the both of them. He’d been angry, his eyes red with unshed tears, the betrayal of Luke’s final words hanging heavy in the air. 

Not even a week later, Han was dead, Ben was gone, and Leia was left to stomach it all on her own. 

He’d abandoned his sister in his selfishness and his self-pity. Just as he’d abandoned Ben in his arrogance. He hoped they’d both forgive him one day, though stars knew he didn’t deserve it. There was nothing he could do to make up for what had happened between them, but today he could begin to try. 

The man across the room was nothing like the boy in his office. In fact, if it weren’t for the ears and the devastatingly familiar eyes, he would’ve thought the man a stranger. He held onto the woman with unexpected tenderness, spinning her around the room with a confidence he’d never had the pleasure of witnessing in Ben before. The smile playing on his face was unmistakably genuine, his eyes bright as he brushed a stray hair out of her face, his focus pinned on her and her alone. 

As he watched, Luke found a smile spreading across his own face. He knew the look in Ben’s eyes. He’d seen it before in the eyes of another man. The man who would one day marry the woman he’d looked at that way, eventually turning that feeling into the very human Luke was watching over now. 

Maybe it was a Solo trait, to wear ones heart so obviously on their sleeves. Or perhaps he’d inherited his passionate devotion from his mother. Either way, a blind man would’ve recognized what was happening in that ballroom tonight. 

Ben was in love. And if he wasn’t mistaken, the woman in his arms felt exactly the same way. 

Taking one last lingering glance at his nephew, Luke turned away. Ben deserved to have this night, to enjoy being happy and in love, celebrating success with his partner. Luke owed him that much. Now he just had to figure out how to give it to him.

———————————

Having Rey in his arms felt right. It was as simple as that. She was the perfect height for his hand to rest comfortably at her waist. Her head, resting just below is chin, perfectly situated for him to kiss her temple or rest his cheek in her hair. He did neither of those things of course, both far too intimate given the shaky ground they stood on. Instead he continued to spin her around the room, song after song, soaking in every moment he had before it all ended too soon. 

“Have I mentioned how beautiful you look tonight?” Ben asked as Bruno Mars’s smooth croon played overhead. 

Rey blushed, looking down at her feet before she looked up at him, shaking her head. “You might’ve mentioned it.”

Ben hummed. “Well, I think it bears repeating.”

Rey blushed, her smooth cream cheeks tinting the most beautiful shade of pink, a smile teasing at the corner of her mouth as she shook her head. Then, something shifted, her face dropping before his eyes. 

“Ben.” She whispered, her gaze drifting down to his mouth. “What are we doing?”

Ben’s brow quirked, “I’m pretty sure we’re dancing.”

“No.” She shook her head, then cocked it to the side with a sigh. “Well, I mean yes. We are. But that’s not what I mean.”

Ben swallowed, watching her carefully. “What _do_ you mean?”

Rey bit her lip, looking away from him. “I work for your mother.”

There it was. The conversation he’d been dreading all day. She was going to cut whatever this was off before it could even begin. He could hear all of her arguments before they even left her pretty mouth, with every counter argument he’d conjured up in his head forced to go unsaid. The devil on his shoulder flashed his mask before his eyes each time his heart tried to plead for an escape, a constant reminder of what it meant to be Kylo Ren. 

“You do.” He nodded, his shoulders sagging as the words left his lips.

“Someday I’ll probably work for you.”

“Most likely.”

“And you’re going to have to get married eventually.”

Ben paused. “Wait what?”

Rey snorted. “Come on Ben.”

He shook his head firmly, “I don’t know what that has to do with....”

“Look, I get it.” She continued, turning to look past his shoulder. “It’s fun to run around now, but eventually you’re going to have to settle down with someone. And let’s face it, that person could never be someone like me.”

Ben stopped, freezing them in place on the dance floor, staring down at her in shock. “What do you mean _someone like you_?”

Rey huffed, “You know what I mean.”

“No.” Ben shook his head fervently, “No actually I don’t.”

Rey turned back, meeting his eyes once more. “Please Ben.”

“No.” He snapped, noting the glares of the dancers around them and pulling her back in, resuming their dance. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to _please_ me. Do you have any idea how ridiculous you sound right now?”

Rey scoffed, incredulous, pulling back from him. “Are you _kidding_ me?”

“No Rey I’m not _kidding_ you.” He pulled her back against him, staring down into her fierce fiery gaze. “Do you realize how _lucky_ I’d be to be with a woman like you? To suggest otherwise is… is…God. Honestly Rey, it’s _insane_. I should be on my knees _begging_ you to be with me.”

Her glare softened slightly, surprise evident on her face as he barreled on, all restraint thrown out the window. 

“I’m a nobody.” She argued back. “I grew up with nothing. I have no family, no connections, no fortune to add to your own.”

“ _So what?”_ He nearly shouted, turning the heads of those around them.

“What do you mean _so what_? You’re the heir to the Skywalker fortune! You have a legacy to uphold! A family name to continue on!”

“What and you think you’re not good enough for that?” He pressed harshly.

Rey recoiled slightly. “No.”

“Then what?” He demanded. 

Rey stuttered as he closed in on her.

“If you don’t want to be with me, that’s fine. I can accept that.” He continued, anger bubbling to the surface as each word left him. “But I cannot accept, and I _will not_ accept, you thinking that you’re somehow not good enough for me, or for anyone else for that matter. Because that is _bullshit_.”

His chest was heaving as she looked up at him, eyes blown wide in shock. It didn’t take more than a moment for him to realize what he’d done, unshed tears sitting visibly in the corner of her eyes.

He dropped his hold on her instantly, stepping back to give her space as his eyes met the floor. “I’m sorry.” He muttered hopelessly.

“Hey.” She murmured, her hand reaching up to his chin to force his gaze back to her. Then, before he even had a moment to take in the gleam in her eyes, she was kissing him, her hand finding its way into his hair as her lips parted around his. 

It was over before it could even begin, his entire body frozen in place as he stared down at her, dumbstruck. 

“Ben?” Rey tilted her head, her eyebrows raised teasingly. “Are you alright?”

He opened his mouth, then quickly closed it, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Did you just kiss me?”

Rey laughed, “I might’ve.”

He stared at her, soaking in her expressive eyes as his arms tightened around her once more.  Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love” began to play unironically overhead, as if his brain had willed the perfect soundtrack to his current train of thought into being right on queue. 

“You kissed me.” He said again, his brain trying to compute after the brief short circuit, confirming that he wasn’t losing his mind. 

“Yes, Ben.” Rey replied fondly. “I kissed you.”

His lips moved on their own accord, spreading into what he knew must’ve been the most ridiculously giddy smile as he leaned down toward her.

“Do it again.”

She smiled as she closed the space, sinking against his chest as he brought his hand to cradle her face, using his other arm to keep them swaying to the music. Her lips parted beneath his, and she moaned softly as he deepened the kiss, tilting her head back to get better access. 

This was not how this conversation was supposed to go, and it was most certainly not what he should’ve allowed to happen. But as her lips moved against his, and her hands caressed his neck, pulling him closer, even Elvis’s perfect love song faded away. 

Then, as all good things in his life seemed to do, it all came to a horrifying, screeching end...

**_BOOM_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boy oh boy. I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get this chapter to you. I've rewritten the final chunks at least 5 times over the last three weeks, and it's gone from fluffy to angsty to some strange combo of the two more times than I can fathom. Then Marriage Story(!) had to come along and lay my heart to waste, influencing the direction of this chapter YET AGAIN. But here are. Hopefully it turned out alright. At this point, I just wanted to get it out the door. 
> 
> Also, for those who are curious, here is a link to the inspiration for Rey's [dress](https://www.renttherunway.com/shop/designers/cinq_a_sept/red_sade_gown?lens=unlimited). Just add a lower back and you've got it!


	18. BLOW

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends. First, I want to say thank you. It's been a trying time to be a fan on Star Wars, much less Reylo. This chapter has been difficult for me for numerous reasons, not least of which revolves around the complete and utter heartache I experienced over Ben Solo's fate. Then I actually saw the movie, and I'm still a bit shocked that DLF thought that was the product they wanted to give. But I digress. I imagine that if you are here, you feel much the same way that I do. But it's time to move forward. The brilliant writers on this site have always produced stories of a caliber well beyond the cannon, and I hope you all continue to do so. You feed my soul and you make me want to be better. I always wanted to be storyteller, but it wasn't until I discovered this community that I found the discipline to start turning my ideas into something real. So for that, and for so much more, I want to thank you. 
> 
> That said, it's been a month since the last chapter. I'm disappointed in myself. But! I promise to finish this story, for those who want it, even if there's only one of you left. 
> 
> This chapter is brought to you by the following tunes:  
> BLOW - Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton, Bruno Mars

A shriek split the air as gunshots rang out around them. Looking to his right, he spotted Isolder sprawled on the floor, blood pooling around him, eyes wide and unseeing, his wife thrown atop him, crying out in devastation. He moved to help her, but before he could, another shot split the air, shattering the crystal chandelier above them into a million tiny shards. 

Ben grabbed Rey, slamming her to the ground and using his body as armor, taking the brunt of the blow from the glass that rained down around them. 

“Rey?” He shouted, his hands searching her face and body for injuries as he hovered above her. “Rey, are you alright?” 

“I’m fine.” She replied, reaching for his hair shakily, “Ben, you’re bleeding.” 

“It’s nothing.” He shook his head, pulling her up with him. “Come on. We’ve got to go.” 

He pushed up off the floor, gathering her into his arms and wrapping his body around her as he pulled her away from the stage. Another explosion rang out in the distance, followed by gunshots as armed figures dressed in black poured in from the sides of the rooms.

Ben grabbed Rey as one of the soldiers turned on them, forcing her down behind an overturned table just in time, a gunshot ricocheting off the wood, shifting them backward with a grunt. 

“You need to get out of here.” He insisted, pulling her back from the table, “I’ll distract them. You run.”

Rey pushed away from him, glaring indignantly. “Absolutely not.”

“ _Rey_.” He pleaded, grabbing her hands.

“I promised your mother I’d protect you. Not the other way around.” She snapped firmly, eyes blazing. 

“What?” He recoiled, “Why would you…”

Another shot slammed into the table, jerking them backward harshly. 

“Nevermind why.” She replied, pulling her hand away and slipping it beneath her dress. 

How it was even possible to be turned on in a moment of crisis was beyond him, but as she revealed the entire length of her perfect tanned legs, his blood flowed south nevertheless. 

“What the hell are you…” 

Her hand came to a stop on black holster, tucked discreetly along her upper thigh. Her fingers removed four slim knives. Then, before he even had time to shut his gaping mouth, she was up on her knees, crouching behind the table, poised for a fight. 

Another shot barreled into the table and a moment later she was up, releasing the knife through the air, the sound of a body thudding to the ground audible over the chaos around them. Another man shouted and then she was up again, releasing another knife and hitting her target once more. 

Ben gaped, watching his beautiful spit-fire of a partner morph into a fierce fighter before his eyes. His awe was short lived, however, as a black mass emerged in the corner of his eye, hulking toward her with a gun cocked. 

He was off the floor in the blink of an eye, barreling into the assailant and pummeling him to the ground. With a snap of the shoulder, the man writhed in pain beneath him and Ben managed to grab his gun, slamming it down on the man’s face before spinning and firing at the nearest approaching gunman. 

Rey spun as the man crumbled to the ground, her eyes wide and alert. When they landed on him, she nodded in acknowledgement, her shoulders sagging slightly. Then, before he could call out to her, she was off, slinking along the floor until she reached the body, grabbing the gun off while Ben covered for her. 

He didn’t like killing. He’d been responsible for enough death in his life as it was. It was why he’d chosen to fight with his body instead of weapons. But here and now, he shot without hesitation, his training coming back to him like it was yesterday, though he made sure to aim for the legs and arms rather than strike a killing blow.

It was Rey who fired without mercy, bodies dropping with a thud, never to rise again. If he thought he had secrets, it was clear that Rey had her share as well. She moved like lightning, quick and fearless, flipping over onto her stomach and firing shots from the floor. Ben turned just in time to spot another soldier aiming for her, the red of her dress bright enough to be conspicuous.

“Rey!” He shouted, jumping up from his defensive crouch and pulling the trigger. The bullet pierced the gunman’s shoulder, sending him careening backwards in pain. He wasn’t down for the count, but it gave Ben enough time to reach him, nailing his face with a punch before finishing him off with a crack of his injured shoulder and the dislocation of his hip flexor. The man crumbled as Ben spun in desperate search of Rey.

“Ben.” 

He turned at the sound of her voice to find her standing before him in her ripped red gown, her updo disheveled and her makeup smeared as her chest heaved, looking every bit a vision from his wildest dreams. 

Their eyes met, adrenaline burning away any hint of exhaustion, and with a nod they spun, back to back, the shield to guard the other’s blind spot against their shared enemy, facelessly approaching from all sides of the room. 

One of the soldiers raised his gun up only to fall to the ground before he could pull the trigger, though the offending shot hadn’t come from either of them. Ben’s eyes flew across the room to find another man, gun still smoking in the direction he’d fired, looking back at him.

“No shooting.” The man called out. “Boss wants these two alive.”

Ben tensed, dropping the gun in his hand and reaching back for Rey. As if she sensed his fear, her hand found his, squeezing gently as her eyes met his over her shoulder.

“You got this?” She asked, echoing his own fears.

He nodded solemnly, searching her face for hesitation and finding only determination. “You?”

Her gaze drifted behind him for a moment, her lips curving up into a sneer. “Oh yeah.”

He had no idea why, but for some reason, he believed her. These men had no idea what they were in for, but boy if he couldn’t wait for them to find out. Turning back, Ben crouched down, popping his shoulders and readying himself for the fight as the men circled around them. 

Then, moving with practiced ease, his fist connected with the nearest chest plate, knocking the man into backward with a grim crunch as the rest of the men rushed forward, kicking off the action. 

Ben couldn’t help but feel like he’d fought this fight before. 

Without his suit every hit to his person landed harder, his muscles aching, the smell of blood wafting into his nose. But freed from the armor, he moved so much faster, the pain exacerbating his anger, his drive to survive, to inflict pain on those who dared to cross him, just as it did that day, years ago. His training had been brutal but effective, and he liked his odds in this fight now. 

Especially because, unlike during his training, he had a partner. And what a fierce partner she was. 

They moved together flawlessly, using each other’s bodies as leverage to lay waste to their attackers with ease. 

_CRACK_

*Crunch*

  _WHACK_

*Crash*

_POW_

*Groan*

_SNAP_

*Thud*

The soldiers dropped like flies, one assailant collapsing backward following a kick to the gut, landed with surprising force thanks in no small part to the boost Rey garnered from using his thigh as leverage. The last one was leveled by an elbow to the face, Ben spinning and landing a final backward kick to the downed man, the sound of his body crumbling to the ground all but ignored as his gaze locked on Rey in awed disbelief. 

They stepped toward one another in something of a rush, hands tangling around one another as he reached up to check her forehead, a nasty gash dripping blood just above her brow. Her hands flew to his head, where the throbbing pain he’d compartmentalized away after the chandelier fell was now becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. 

“Rey.” He sighed, her name escaping with equal parts awe and relief. 

She did not seem to share his relief, worry furrowing her brow further, which only served to exacerbate the wound there. “Ben.” She swallowed, pulling him tighter, her eyes scouring his body and apparently not liking what she saw. “We need to go. You’re head...”

He opened his mouth to reassure her, though the throbbing in his head indicated that she was probably right, when the sound of clapping pulled them out of their bubble. 

They both turned at the sound, stiffening under one another’s hands, as a man approached through the smoke, the remaining lights in the room flickering overhead. The man was small statured, dressed in a crisp suit, but Ben would know him anywhere. His breath caught in his throat, stomach sinking into the pits of despair as the man’s face came into view donning a smile Ben thought he’d only ever see again in his nightmares. 

His former master, the one he thought dead.

_Sidious._

___________________________

It turned out, Maz knew what she was doing. 

No sooner had their rag-tag team climbed to the top of the shelving unit than a large cargo truck came rolling down the wide aisle toward the exit of the cavern. 

“Something tells me we need to get on that truck.” Poe said.

“I agree.” Maz nodded. “I hope you boys can jump.”

Finn said nothing, just swallowed hard, a nervous reaction that Poe recognized immediately. 

Grabbing his boyfriend’s shoulder, he squeezed reassuringly “You’ve got this Finn.” 

“Right. Yeah.” Finn nodded, “Totally.”

In truth, Poe wasn’t feeling a whole lot better than Finn. But he swallowed down his nerves, steeling himself for the leap as the truck approached.

“So, what’s the plan? We get on the truck. Then what?”

Maz smirked. “That’s when the fun begins.”

Not exactly the answer he wanted, but he didn’t have time to argue. The hub of the truck hadn’t even passed him by before Maz was airborne, landing gracefully atop the container. Poe sucked in a deep breath, grabbed Finn’s hand, and with a nod of acknowledgement, pushed off from the ground beneath him. 

Poe landed hard, losing his grip of Finn’s hand as he let out a groan. He pushed himself up just in time to see that Finn had rolled, a single hand clutching the edge of the container as he screamed out desperately.

“You nerf herder!” Maz admonished, jumping to the edge of the container to grab hold of Finn’s other hand. “Dameron! A little help?”

Poe leapt forward, taking hold of Finn and hoisting him up as the truck came to an abrupt stop, jerking them backward harshly. 

“ _Shit.”_  Maz spat, whipping out her gun and popping off the safety. “You just _had_ to make a scene Newman.”

Gunshots rang out above them, as the men in the truck came piling out. 

“Looks like we’ll be commandeering this vehicle ahead of schedule.” Maz said flatly, turning to the back of the container. “Dameron, get down to the hub and drive. Newman, cover for him. I’ve got this lot.”

Poe jumped without hesitating, swinging down into the hub and nailing the remaining occupant with two feet to his face, grabbing him and throwing him from the driver’s seat before slamming the door shut and hitting the gas. The truck roared to life with a hitch, and Poe silently prayed Maz and Finn had managed to hold on. There was no time to confirm, however, as the sliding entryway that marked their only escape began to slide closed ahead of him. 

“Kriffing hell.” He groaned as he pressed down as far as the gas would go, blocking out the screaming and gunshots ringing out around him. 

Something hit the passenger door hard, jerking Poe’s attention away, his hand reaching for his gun instinctually. His eyes flew to the side quickly, only to find it was Finn’s face, flattened against the glass as he fumbled with the door and threw himself inside. “Jesus Finn. You scared the shit outta me.”

“Sorry.” Finn mumbled, righting himself before rolling down the window and shooting back behind them. 

“Where’s Maz?” Poe questioned, refocusing his attention on the rapidly shrinking target. 

“Up top.” Finn replied, spinning back to look at the closing entryway. “Holy shit! Poe! We’re not gonna make that!”

Poe flattened his foot against the gas, leaning forward as if _that_ would make a difference when they went crashing into the steel door. 

“Poe! POE!”

The sound of metal scraping metal was so loud they both flinched, but by some miracle, and a good bout of luck, Poe managed to squeeze the van out of the entryway, blowing out into the freight yard with a sharp turn that threatened to capsize the whole vehicle before Poe managed to right it back down on it’s axles.  

He sped out into the barely lit streets ahead, looking into his rear-view mirror to see men pouring from within the cavern, sprinting into nearby cars in hot pursuit. 

A thud landed heavily on the roof of the hub, before Maz’s face poked down into Finn’s view. The little woman spun down, landing in Finn’s lap, before pulling herself into the middle seat between them.

“Nice of you to join us.” Poe said sharply.

“Yeah, well, it seemed like you could use some help.” Maz snapped, grabbing the steering wheeling and jerking them sharply down a narrow street, barely missing the edge of the building. “Move, flyboy. It’s my turn to drive.”

Poe grunted, sliding over while keeping his foot on the gas. Once Maz took over his seat, they switched feet quickly, Maz taking control.

“What now?” Finn asked, his eyes glued to the rear-view mirror, where two black cars had just come into view, careening down the street after them.

“Now we get to Luke.” Maz replied, taking another sharp turn that had them all sliding to the far side of the van. 

“Luke? Isn’t he at the hotel?” Finn questioned. “That’s miles from here. There’s no way we’ll be able to hold them off that long in this thing.”

“You’d be surprised what I can do.” Maz replied simply. “Now if you two want to make yourself useful, I believe there are still a few bullets left in those guns of yours, and our friends out back have a few too many wheels intact for my liking.” 

___________________________

Rey could hear her heartbeat thudding wildly against her rib cage, every other sound sucked out of the ballroom the moment the clapping had ceased. 

Ben stood frozen, staring at the man as he approached. She shook him, her eyes flying to his face. “Ben.” She pushed against his chest, “Ben, come on.”

“At last my boy.” The approaching man spoke, his voice an eerie mix of sinister and sweet.

At the sound of the man’s voice, Ben snapped, grabbing hold of her and pulling her behind him. “Go.” He said. “Rey, _go_.”

“What? No.” She shook her head, keeping hold of his arms, holding her back like a shield. “Ben, what’s going on? Who is he?”

“Who am I?” The man cackled, horrible and menacing. “Who am I, you ask? Oh my dear girl. I am the reckoning. I am the darkness. I am the voice inside his head, the one that has no doubt kept him from giving in to you.”

Ben tensed in front of her, his body heaving with each breath. 

“Still so much anger. So much potential. Such a pity to see it go to waste.”  The man’s smile twisted into a sneer. “But alas, you made your choice, and now you must pay the price for standing in my way.”

“Don’t touch him!” Rey burst forth from behind him, pulling her arm free from his hold to stand between Ben and the sinister villain making his way toward them.

The man cackled once more, sending goosebumps down Rey’s spine. But she held her ground. 

“Oh yes. I see why you like her.” The man stepped closer, eyeing her up like one would study a tool. “She has that same spark I saw in you. If you cannot be turned, perhaps she can.”

Ben snarled, pulling her back against him. “Keep her out of this.”

“Oh, it is much too late for that my boy. Much too late.”

“I won’t let you have her.” Ben yelled, his grip tightening protectively around her waist. “ _I won’t!”_

The man laughed again, an evil sound that sucked the air out of Rey’s lungs, leaving her feeling paralyzed by confusion and fear. From the corners of the room, more soldiers appeared, closing them in, leaving nowhere to escape. Rey’s eyes flew across the space, desperate for something, _anything_ that could indicate a way out of this. 

Then, as if called upon by her sheer desperation, the sky exploded above them, glass raining down once more. Her body hit the floor, the mass of Ben crushing down atop her. Glass shards sliced into her exposed legs, but she hardly noticed, the whole of her attention focused on the little blinking light that had landed mere feet away. 

She reacted on instinct, grabbing Ben with as much strength as she could muster and yanking him off the floor. He followed with her, which helped considering he was the size of a small bear, as the light began to blink more rapidly. She shoved him hard, throwing herself between him and the device, and then she was airborne, her body thrown against him in a wave of heat and inertia, acting as a shield against the worst of the explosion. 

Her eyes flickered, the heaviness of her chest grating with each painful gasp of breath. Warm hands reached for her, a blinding light blinking overhead, growing closer as she drew further away. She heard a voice, but it sounded distant. She couldn’t make out the words over the ringing in her ears. Familiar chocolate orbs met hers, desperation and fear evident despite her rapidly blurring vision, before all went dark and silence overtook her. 

________________________________

Finn gasped, his heart stopping hard in his chest as he looked out at the plume of smoke rising from the strip. 

They were so close, mere minutes from reaching the hotel. But it didn’t matter. They were too late. 

“That’s not…” Poe’s voice trailed off beside him.

“That is.” Maz murmured, answering the question Poe couldn’t finish. 

“They got out though. They would’ve gotten out.” Poe nodded along, needing to convince himself as much as anyone.

Maz had drawn to a halt, the car chase seemingly having come to an end a mile or so back, when Finn had blasted out the engine of the incoming car and sent it careening back into the one behind it. The wrecked vehicles skidded into the next intersection, slamming into the cars racing to intercept the van. With the pile up smoking behind them, Maz had turned toward town in earnest, but now, it seemed, even that plan had come to a dead end.

They sat in silence as the horror settled between them. Then, like a lighthouse in the midst of a raging storm, a helicopter lifted up from the smoking roof, the blinking light signalling its presence in the night sky. 

“You don’t think that’s…”

“Luke.” Maz finished, nodding her head firmly. “That’s Luke.”

Finn and Poe both turned to her, eyes wide and desperate for confirmation. Then, before she even had the chance to look their way, they all went flying forward, crashing through the glass windshield as the van exploded, careening down the hill into the darkness of the night, smoke and fire the last thing Finn saw before the world crumbled into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah... so... I promise I won't make you wait a month to follow up this one...
> 
> Also, this picture is 100% Rey in this chapter.
> 
> [](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/49606654871/in/dateposted-public/)
> 
> <3 <3 <3


	19. Oh My Dear Lord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Chapter Brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Oh My Dear Lord - The Unlikely Candidates

She was enveloped in a cloud. A bright, warm, soft cloud, so cozy and comforting that the thought of moving seemed like the worst idea in the world. That was confirmed the moment she shifted, her back crying out in protest as her eyes flew open. 

Sunlight, too bright for Canto Bight, blinded her for a moment, her eyes squinting against the glare. She twisted slightly, forcing herself to sit up as best she could given the ache in muscles. Her red dress was gone, replaced by a soft sweater that was much too big for her. That was concerning for a number of reasons, but more pressing at that exact moment was the fact that she had absolutely no idea where she was. 

It didn’t appear ominous. A fire burned across from the enormous plush bed, coated in enough cream and white blankets to keep a newborn warm in an ice storm. Unlike their hotel room in Canto Bight, this space was bright and open, with tall vaulted ceilings accentuated by the enormous window that looked out on… were those… mountains?

 _Shit_.

Rey forced herself from the bed with shaky legs, keeping a hand on the edge of the bed to ensure she didn’t topple over as she made her way to the window, grabbing one of the blankets to wrap around her shoulders. 

The sight before her took her breath away, which, given her current state, wasn’t ideal. She grabbed from the edge of the window, leaning her aching bones against it as her eyes scanned the sky, taking in the snow capped peaks surrounding her. Her gaze drew downward, noting how the snow and rock melded into green, evergreens emerging to lead down into what must’ve been a valley below. To the right, a waterfall cascaded down to that same valley, a picture of perfect peace, untouched by man, how the maker must’ve intended. 

So she was dead. That was the only explanation for _this_. She’d never much believed in the afterlife, but if this was what Heaven looked like, well, you certainly weren’t going to hear Rey complaining about it. 

But then, if she was dead, what had happened to Ben? Was he here with her? Or had he made it out somehow? Her stomach sank at the thought of his body lying broken beside hers in that hellhole of a hotel ballroom. What would Leia think?

 _Leia_.

The thought of her surrogate mother losing one more loved-one sent her careening toward the ground, tears bubbling up as her stomach clenched. She’d failed her. She’d made her a promise and she hadn’t kept it. And now… now…

The image of Leia dressed in black, standing in the rain, clouds of grey surrounding her as she lowered another casket into yet another grave. Rey let out a sob. No. _No_ . That wasn’t how it was supposed to be. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. Ben needed to be alive. He had to be. _He had to_...

Something clattered below, drawing her attention, the sound of dishes clanking confirming that she wasn’t alone here. Wherever _here_ was. 

Rey forced herself from the floor, her muscles crying out in protest as she moved, pulling the blanket tighter around herself. She stumbled to the door on unsteady legs, pulling it open to find herself on a landing, looking out at a wall of windows making up the far side of the living room below.

She was met with another picturesque landscape before her eyes fell down to the space below, a familiar tall dark figure pacing before the crackling fireplace. 

Her heart clenched at the sight of him, seemingly uninjured, running his hand through his ruffled hair. Her eyes roved over ever inch, his tuxedo replaced by a sweat pants and a sweater not unlike the one she now wore. He looked okay. But after everything that had happened, that only served to further her theory that this was a place in the great beyond. She barely noticed that he’d stopped his pacing, his own eyes flying up to her, standing there draped in plush white, an angel sent to quell his torment. 

“ _Rey._ ” He breathed, his shoulders sagging in overt relief as she scanned back up to his face, the weight of his gaze threatening to crush her. He made to move toward her slowly, eyes never leaving her as she turned to make her way down the stairs. Barely one step into her decent, she tumbled, wincing against the ache of her muscles. Turned out, taking the full brunt of a bomb wasn’t so conducive to descending stairs. Who’da thought? 

Before she could force herself up to try again, he was there, large hands cradling her face as wide chocolate eyes scanned her body for injuries. 

“Come here.” He murmured, reaching down and pulling her into his arms, one arm below her knees as the other cradled her back and neck. She was still wrapped up tightly in the blanket as he carried her down the stairs, her head falling against his neck as she nuzzled against him. 

He crossed the living room, bending down to deposit her gently on one of the plush couches in front of the fire before kneeling down beside her and pulling the blanket tighter around her shoulders.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear with surprising tenderness.

Rey swallowed, taking in every inch of his face, contorted with worry. “Ben?” She started, her voice hoarse from disuse. She pulled a hand loose from her blanket, reaching for his face. “Are you… are we…?” She trembled as her hand met his cheek, his skin soft and smooth and _real_ beneath her fingers. “Please tell me you’re not dead.”

Ben frowned. “No Rey.” He shook his head. “I’m not dead. _You’re_ not dead. _Thank God_.” 

Rey swallowed, pulling her hand back slightly as she turned to look around the room. “But… if we’re not… where are we?”

“You’re in Alderaan.”

Rey’s eyes darted toward the voice, landing on a familiar man with a graying beard who was walking out of what appeared to be the kitchen, holding two steaming mugs of tea in his hands. 

Her mind whirled as she placed him, recalling the morning at the hotel coffee table, the encounter with the stranger with familiar blue eyes. 

“I know you.” Rey muttered as he walked closer. “You spilled your water… in the lobby...”

The man smiled and nodded, his blue eyes almost glowing as the sunlight bounced off the snow-covered mountains.

“I won’t spill this.” Rey starred as he handed her a cup of tea over top of Ben’s head. “Promise.”

She took the mug, untangling her other hand from the blanket and soaking up the warmth of the boiling water. “You’ve been watching us.” It wasn’t a question, and Ben’s eyes flew wide.

The man nodded. “Yes, I have.”

Rey’s brow furrowed as she tried to recall the last of her memories. “There was a light, overhead, after the explosion…”

“I stole a helicopter from the Hutts.” The man said matter-of-factly, taking a sip of his tea as he sat in an armchair across the room. “Managed to take out a few of them along the way too.”

Ben scoffed, a strange sound considering. Rey looked between the two of them, noting the strain in Ben’s shoulders, how he refused to look at the man at all. She took a sip of her tea, a soothing mint blend, before looking back up at their apparent host.

“Who are you?”

The man’s eyes glimmered with the hint of a smile, but there was a sadness there too, a heaviness. He glanced at Ben for the briefest moment, then met her eyes once more. “I think you know who I am.”

She considered him for a moment. Then, it hit her, and she knew exactly where she’d seen those familiar eyes before, resting on a younger, clean shaven face, smiling back at her from the picture frames in Leia’s apartment, the magazine covers throughout the halls of Skywalker Industries. 

“You’re Luke, aren’t you? Luke Skywalker.”

The hint of a smile grew slightly, and the man nodded in confirmation. “I am.”

Things began to click together then. The morning with the coffee had been no accident, though she still didn’t understand how it all played out; What the plan had been. 

Seeming to sense her mind whirling, Luke began to explain. “There were a number of plans in motion that night. Your friends, Poe and Finn I believe, made a rushed trip to Canto Bight to warn you, since apparently neither of you had been answering your phones.” Rey tensed, cringing internally as she realized that was true. She had no idea they’d been there, and their day had been so jam packed and fraught with emotional whiplash that she’d never thought twice about it. 

“The Hutts were tasked with stealing the Consortium’s technology while you were all being wined and dined.” Luke continued. “So we split up. They went after the Hutts with Maz, and I went after you, being the only one who could get into the hotel as a guest. I’d been monitoring the ball for a while, but I got locked out after an ill-timed bathroom break. So I decided to find another way in. Conveniently, your dear friend Hux and that tall blonde he was with had one waiting for them. I snagged it before they could tear off, blasted through the roof, and pulled you two out before they could finish you off for good.”

He turned to look at Ben then, whose hands were clenched into tight fists at her side. “I brought you back here because it was closer than Coruscant. And safer for that matter. I won’t ask you to stay any longer than it takes you to heal.”

Rey nodded, soaking it all in. “And Leia knows?”

Luke’s mouth tightened into a thin line. “She does.”

“Good.” Rey nodded, taking a sip of her tea as she reached for Ben’s hand. He pulled back, flexing his hand like she’d burned him, though he did not leave her side.

“I don’t understand.” He muttered, low enough that even she could barely hear him, though she sensed the growing anger through the tremor in his voice. “My uncle - who for all intents and purposes is supposed to be _dead_ \- showed up alive in Canto Bight, rescued us from a clearly premeditated attack, and then ferried us off the Alderaan, a city which was also thought to be dead, and you don’t seem the slightest bit surprised.” His eyes shot up, laced with betrayal as he stared at her. “Why?”

Rey swallowed, looking to Luke in a panic. She had no idea how to begin to explain everything to Ben. And though she knew he had every right to be upset, it wasn’t her place to go against Leia’s wishes to keep him out of this part of her life. 

“Ben…” She began, curling herself toward him with a wince. “There’s… I… It’s...”

“Don’t blame her for this Ben.” Luke cut her off, glaring at his nephew. “You’ve got more than your fair share of secrets too.”

Ben swirled, eyes ablaze. “Don’t you dare.” He snarled, “ _You_ , who ran off and left my mother with _no one_.”

“Rich, coming from you don’t you think?”

Ben reared back, teeth bared. “I had no choice!”

“And you think I did?”

Rey flinched as both men rose to their feet, Luke’s mug deposited on a side table as they stood mere feet apart, Ben’s body trembling with barely contained rage. 

“Tell me, uncle. Why now? Why, after all this time, would you come back? To say you forgive me? To save my soul?”

Luke sneered. “No.”

Rey shivered as the two men stared each other down, the pain and anger sitting between them heavy enough to shatter glass. She watched as Luke’s eyes roved over his nephew’s face, his shoulders softening as he lingered over his features, as if capturing them all for his memory.

“I failed you, Ben.” He whispered into the heavy silence. “I’m sorry.”

Ben scoffed, his fists clenched tightly. “Yes, I’m sure you are.”

Rey shivered, the tension in the room wiping out all heat despite the fire burning nearby. She’d jump between them if she had to, though she had to question how effective she’d be given her current state. Whatever had happened between these two, it had not been pretty, and she hardly felt like she had any business being present for the eruption that seemed doomed to blow at any moment. 

A banging snapped the tension as all three heads whipped toward the blown open door, where Leia Organa stood fuming as snow flurries cascaded around her. 

“Mom?”

“Leia?”

“Oh boy.”

Moving with the speed of a cheetah and the fury of a hurricane, Leia stormed toward her brother, slapping him across the face so hard that even Rey cringed.

 _“You!”_ She fumed, her whole body trembling as she stared him down. 

Luke lowered his hand from his face, the targeted cheek flaming from her onslaught, his eyes wide with some mix of sorrow and joy. “Hi Princess.”

Leia looked as if she might slap him again, but then her whole face changed. Not a second later she was throwing herself into her brothers arms, burying her tears against his shoulder.

“You kriffing _Nerf herder_.” She cried as he tightened his hold around her. “I could strangle you right now, do you know that?”

“I know.” Luke rubbed his hand down her back soothingly. “I’m sorry Leia. I’m so sorry”

She pushed back from him at the words, wiping the tears from her eyes as she turned to where Ben stood, hovering over Rey, curled up on the couch, watching with eyes blown wide. She was over to them in a rush, pulling Ben into a tight hug before stepping back to run her hands down his face. 

“You’re both alright?” She asked, before crouching down beside Rey and placing the back of her hand over her forehead. “I’m sorry. I never should’ve put you in this position. I should’ve known…”

“No.” Rey shook her head fervently, “No, it’s not your fault. I never should’ve taken the com link out. I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

“Yes, well,” Leia smirked slightly, running her hands down Rey’s arms. “That was incredibly stupid. I just about had a heart attack. I’ve never seen Rose so scared. Finn even agreed to go with Poe in Black One, if that tells you how dire things were.”

Rey cringed. She knew how terrified her friend was of flying, particularly in a plane as old and crotchety as Kes Dameron’s prize fighter. “Are they… are they alright?”

Leia had opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted by the figures in question tumbling through the doorway, bringing with them more flurries of snow.

“You would’ve moved to the end of the world, wouldn’t you, you old kook?” Maz Kanata led the pack, shaking her head at Luke before turning back to Poe, who was helping Finn into the room on a limp leg, all three of them covered in bruises and scars. 

“Peanut!” Finn cried as his eyes fell on her, and Rey flung herself free of the blankets and rose to meet him. Ben caught her as she stumbled, grabbing her waist and guiding her up as Finn dropped his arm from Poe’s shoulders and pulled her into a bear-hug. 

“You’re alive.” He breathed, nuzzling into her shoulder as he pulled her tighter into his chest. It ached to be pressed like that, but she didn’t care. Finn was okay. They were all okay. Finn pulled back after a moment, his relief flashing away and his expression growing stern. “What were you thinking? Huh? You didn’t even bother to check your phone? All day? You know you’re not supposed to take your earpiece out on a mission!”

“Finn…” She began, shaking her head, conscious of the fact that Ben still stood nearby.

“You could’ve died Peanut. _Died_. And here you were promising me you’d come back in one piece!” He shook his head, her own knees feeling like they might give out beneath her.. 

“Well, I am in one piece.” She offered, forcing a guilty smile. “So, there’s that.”

Finn threw his head back and scoffed before pulling her back into another painful, bone cracking hug. “I swear you’re going to be the death of me.” He said, shaking his head against her shoulder. “You know that? I love you so much but you’re going to be the death of me.”

Poe coughed behind them, another reminder that they had an audience. Rey pulled back, grabbing the edge of the couch for support. “Watch it Finn.” She smirked at Poe from over his shoulder. “Poe’s looking a little green with envy over there.”

Poe’s eye roll was so dramatic she couldn’t help but laugh, and then he was approaching too, pulling her into another hug, though he had the courtesy to be a little more gentle. “I’d consider wringing your neck for this if I wasn’t so relieved that you’re okay.” 

Rey smiled into Poe’s shoulder then pulled back, curling the blanket tighter around her shoulders as she surveyed the room with a smile. Then her eyes landed on Ben, staring wide eyed at her as if he was looking at a ghost, and the smile was wiped from her face. She swallowed as reality slammed into her, the betrayal on his face so profound she thought it might break her in two.

Leia took a step toward him, reaching out only for him to flinch back, retreating toward the fire, his eyes flying between his mother, his best friend, and the woman he’d thought was his partner until his whole world had gone up in flames. 

“One of you is going to tell me what the hell is going on here.” He demanded, leveling his devastating stare on his mother, “ _Now_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alderaan, and Luke's home in the mountains is based on the lovely region of the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps. To get an idea of just how heavenly it is, [check it out](https://www.google.com/search?newwindow=1&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS857US857&sxsrf=ACYBGNSHF8ZS03LE8DXlKMNrbhgQScEmwg:1579550929346&q=lauterbrunnen&tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjpiLHg_ZLnAhVEdt8KHQoHBIoQsAR6BAgIEAE&biw=1920&bih=937). I visited last year and was desperate to find some reason to write about it. There is no place more serene and beautiful. 10/10 would recommend.


	20. I See You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well folks, we made it. 100,000+ words. This chapter is a doozy. One that I debated splitting into two as it got longer and longer. But then I thought "nah". Chapter 20 feels like something. And I'm nothing if not inconsistent with chapter lengths.
> 
> This chapter features Light Smut™. If that is not your cup-a-joe, you can cut away after "Stay" and return at the third break. Though in this instance I would have to highly encourage that you not skip ahead. It is rated M at best, and is interspersed with a rather vital internal monologue. If that still can't sway you, then consider this my official warning. 
> 
> This chapter is brought to you by the following tunes:  
> i love you - Billie Eilish  
> I See You - MISSIO  
> WOW - Zara Larsson

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/49446488153/in/dateposted-public/)

_“Again.”_

_He spit, blood landing in a glob on the dirt. Every muscle in his body ached. The stab wound in his right abdomen was torn open and oozing warm again. Still he forced himself to stand, beating against the stinging pain radiating from his side._

_He’d asked for this. It was part of the process, tearing down every fiber until one reached the very core of his being. This was how he would rebuild, rising again from the ashes as someone new, someone worthy._

_He reared back as one of the masked men lunged. Blocking the fist that barely missed his nose, he managed to catch his opponents elbow in a smooth maneuver that had him twisting the man behind him and leveling a swift punch to his gut. The man retaliated with an elbow to the neck, but it was feeble and missed its mark, giving him the perfect angle to dislocate the man’s shoulder and flip him onto his back._

_Breathing hard, he spun, eyes wide with fury and adrenaline. The fight was never ending. Even as this man lay motionless on the ground, two more were stepping forward to challenge him._

_These men were smaller, quicker; the antithesis to his own style. But he was getting better. A cracked nose and a twisted ankle later, and they too lay on the ground in moaning heaps of defeat._

_“Good, good.” His master circled him, “I can feel your anger. It makes you stronger, gives you focus.”_

_He heaved out a heavy breath, wiping the blood coagulating beneath his nose._

_“Again.”_

“Ben?”

He stiffened at the sound of that name on her lips, that beautiful accent of hers. So rare prior to the last few days, now precious, sacred. He’d almost lost it, lost _her_. Before he’d even had a chance to savor what a gift she was. 

His mind returned to that ballroom, to her body limp in his arms. She was so _stupid_ for jumping in front of him. She had no right to risk her life for him. He wasn’t worth it. And she… she...

His uncle managed to show up just in time and honestly, Ben might’ve lost his mind if he hadn’t. He’d been so consumed by desperation and terror that he’d barely stopped to look at the man who was himself back from the dead. He’d followed him into that helicopter without question, cradling a barely breathing Rey in his arms, stroking her hair back and murmuring prayers to every god he could think of, desperate for someone, anyone, to take pity on him. 

He’d done a great many things he wasn’t proud of in his life. If there was a greater power out there somewhere, they’d be a fool to grant him reprieve from his sins. But he’d prayed anyway, cradling her against him until they landed in the mountains, where Luke ushered him up to the cozy bedroom and gestured for him to let her go. He’d done as he’d asked, though not without hesitation, and watched with bated breath as his uncle checked her over. 

When, after what felt like hours later, his uncle had turned to look up at him, wide-eyed and shaking, and said “She’s going to be alright son.” He’d collapsed to the floor, his body giving out under the weight of his relief. 

His uncle found an over-sized sweater, and together they’d done their best to clean the blood and ash from her skin without violating her. It had been somewhat of a challenge to get the sweater over her head before they’d carefully cut her out of the ruined red dress, tucking her into the bed to rest until she woke and they could do a more complete check of her condition. He’d insisted on staying by her side, watching over her from the chair in the corner all night. Luke patched up his injuries from where he sat vigil, his eyes trained on her, ignoring the man who came and went in careful silence. She’d hardly stirred, but her chest continued to rise and fall, her face peaceful in the glowing firelight.

She’d woken when he wasn’t there, but the relief of seeing her standing there on the landing above him, dwarfed by a thick cream blanket nearly made his heart stop. It would’ve been his fault if she hadn’t made it. His fault that they were in that position in the first place. He’d been so worried about the First Order when it was his own failings that had been the threat all along. 

His _master_.

Luke Skywalker wasn’t the only person from his past that had returned from the dead that night. And despite the way they’d left things that day in Skywalker Tower, he’d happily face twelve furious Luke’s if it meant that the man he’d thrown into a burning inferno remained burnt to a crisp at the bottom of a charred pile of wood and cinder. 

He wasn’t even sure that was the worst of it. He’d left, spending almost six years training until the boy became the man. A ruthless terror. A weapon that his master had been sharpening for the final blow. What he hadn’t known, not until that final, fatal day, was what he’d been being groomed _for_. 

_Smoke billowed into the starless night sky, the smell of iron and charcoal sitting heavy in the air._

_He knelt in the dirt, chest heaving. His muscles probably ached, and some of that blood and burnt skin was surely his own, but he felt no pain. He felt nothing at all._

_“You’ve done well, my young apprentice.” His master stepped forward from the flames, burning high in a circle around him. “Your training is now complete.”_

_He lowered his head further. It was done._

_“The boy you were when you came here is no more. Murdered, by the man you are now.” He could almost hear the smile that he knew adorned his masters face. “Rise now as your true self. Rise, as Kylo Ren.”_

_He’d been proud that day. He’d taken up the mantle without a second thought. He had a mission. A purpose. He’d done his master’s bidding without question, without regard for the consequences, for the scars he was leaving on his soul. His master knew it. He knew he was his devoted slave, his most loyal acolyte. Or so he thought. So they_ both _thought._

_It turned out that Ben Solo wasn’t dead afterall. He was simply buried six feet underground, comatose, but breathing. Sleeping Beauty required true loves kiss to wake her from her slumber. All Ben needed was a reminder that his mother was alive, and that if he didn’t do something, she might not be much longer._

_“The world has fallen into chaos. It’s greatest cities plagued by poverty and violence.” His master intoned, standing before a broad wooden table, maps and plans spread across it. “ We have waited in the shadow’s long enough, building our army, building our plan. Now we see it through.” He turned to him. “Kylo Ren, will you finish what your grandfather started? Will you succeed where Vader failed?”_

_“Yes Master. Whatever you ask, it will be done.”_

_His master grinned. “Order must be restored, and those in power are too weak to do what must be done. And so, it falls upon us to do it for them.” His master unveiled a map, one he recognized immediately. “The world’s greatest city has become little more than a rat infested desert of greed and despair, run to the ground by the rich and powerful, leaving behind the people it is meant to serve.”_

_His heart began racing, his eyes whipping back and forth across the map of his home._

_“That is where we come in. It is time to restore the order of things. And what better place to begin than Coruscant?”_

_He felt his master’s eyes upon him, watchful, studying. He wore a mask of indifference, but inside the turmoil roiled to life, fists beating against their cage, fighting to rise from the pit they’d been buried within._

_“We burn it, and all it’s people to the ground. We start again, leading the way to a better, brighter future. One of justice and order.”_

_“How?” It was the only word he could bring himself to say. The only thing he trusted, lest he reveal his warring emotions to his master._

_“We start,” His master’s smile turned sinister, his eyes glowing red, “by returning it’s lost son.”_

_“He is dead.” Lies._

_“He will live again. He will return to his mother. He will beg for forgiveness. And he will stab her in the back, tearing apart the one remaining beacon of hope. And once she is gone, the city will cave in on itself, and we will be there to pick up the pieces.”_

_No._

_He felt his master’s eyes narrow._

_“No?” The evil grin fell from his master’s face. Shit. He’d said that out loud._

_The fists beat harder against their cage, the lock clicking open, air filling his lungs, breathing life back into his heart._

_“No.” He repeated. “I won’t do it.”_

_His master sneered, his composure faltering for the first time. “You are_ weak _. Just as Vader was. If you will not do what must be done, then you will die.”_

He hadn’t died though. He’d come alive. Ben Solo broke free from his cage, joining forces with Kylo Ren, and together they’d laid ruin to it all. His master wanted to burn the world - so they’d burned down _his_ world, trapping the man inside as everything crumbled down around him. 

And then he’d gone home. The lost son of Coruscant, returned from the dead. Not as it’s reckoning, but as it’s protector. A savior in the night. An angel in the shadows. Fear, by any other name, for all those who threatened her. 

All the while, he’d been blind to what was right under his nose; the sacrifices those he loved most were making to the same cause. He’d been searching desperately for the Scavenger, only to have her sitting across from him the whole time. How had he not seen it? How had he not known?

“Ben?” She tried again.

Maybe he should be mad at her. And his mother. And Poe. But he wasn’t. Or at least, he didn’t think he was. He didn’t know _what_ he felt. Confused, certainly. Foolish, guilty, _blind._  

”You shouldn’t be out here.” He replied, flat, emotionless. The opposite of what was going on inside his head. “You need to rest.”

She didn’t reply, and a moment later he heard her sliding down the roof, gliding to a smooth stop beside him. 

He sighed heavily, refusing to look at her. “Do you have a death wish?”

“I might.” 

His jaw tightened. “You could barely walk an hour ago.”

“Good thing I’m not walking.” She replied. Her answers were curt, but her tone was soft, tentative. Like she was feeling out where he stood. He said nothing in response, though he could feel her eyes wandering over his face, studying him. 

Finally, she said. “You once asked me where I came from.”

His shoulders tensed. “You don’t have to explain…”

“No, I do.” She cut him off firmly. “I do because I’m tired of the lies. Leia told you the truth, and now it’s my turn.” 

Ben gulped. He’d _heard_ a lot of truth tonight. But he hadn’t spoken a word of it himself. He didn’t think he could handle more. Not when his own secrets remained firmly locked away. 

Rey sighed, sitting back, her eyes firmly planted on the snow-covered mountains in the distance. 

“I was _born_ in Jakku, like I told you before. But I’m from the streets.” She began, barely more than a whisper. “I don’t have any memories of my parents. I was in an orphanage for a while. But I don’t remember a time where I wasn’t begging for food, scavenging through garbage bins for anything edible, just to keep myself from wasting away.”

His stomach clenched as he turned to her. She’d always been thin, but not unhealthily so. The idea of her ever being anything other than the strong, proud woman he knew now, it made his blood boil. 

“You do a lot of things when you’re desperate, you know?” She continued. “A lot of things I’m not proud of. I didn’t have anyone to take care of me, to make sure I didn’t get into trouble. So I’d cling to whoever offered me a regular meal. Which landed me with a rough crowd. A man named Unkar Plutt ran the gang, or whatever it was. When I was younger, he had me begging on street corners. The more I brought in, the more food I got to eat. That was how I met Han.”

 Ben froze. “You knew my father?”

Rey smiled sadly, looking down at her feet as she nodded. “Yeah, I did. He was kind to me. One of the only people in my life who ever had been. He’d give me money everyday, and when he had the time, he’d take me for ice cream or buy me food. He’d ruffle my hair and tell me naughty jokes to get me to smile. From  time to time he’d ask about my parents, and when I didn’t answer him, he started to bring me things. Clothes, little games. Books sometimes. I had to hide everything from Plutt and the others, of course. But I cherished it all, and I looked forward to seeing him everyday, even if it was only for a minute or two. Just a wink and a smile. That was enough.”

Rey huffed out breath, blinking back the tears as her voice broke. “He asked me to come home with him, you know. So many times. And I said _no_. I don’t know why. But I did. Every time.” She was trembling, tears falling down her face as he sat, stunned, beside her. “And then I got too old for begging, and Plutt had me doing… other things. And I never saw him again. Not until… until…”

A sob broke free from her chest, breaking Ben from his stupor. He pulled her against his chest, burrowing his face in her hair as she wept. “I c-cried for d-days when I saw the p-papers. I d-don’t know why I didn’t go h-home with him. I d-don’t…”

“Shhh.” Ben pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, pulling her closer. “It’s alright Rey. It’s alright.”

He’d never known, though he suspected his mother must’ve. He’d hardly blinked an eye when his old books and toys went missing, too old, or perhaps just too sullen to care. They’d never asked him if he would’ve minded having someone else around, but if he was honest, he knew he wouldn’t have. He’d always wanted a sibling. Someone to bother him when he was in a mood. To be there with him when his parents were arguing or wake him up in the middle of the night when they had a nightmare. To make him feel like he wasn’t so alone. 

How close he’d come to having that someone be Rey.

Rey sniffled, wiping the tears from her eyes as she pulled away, still unable to meet his eyes. “I did a lot of bad things as I got older. I was determined not to be sold into prostitution, so I made myself useful in other ways. It started with pick-pocketing, but eventually I became his most talented thief. By the time I met Leia, I’d made my way through the coffers of nearly every wealthy businessman or socialite in Coruscant. Your mother was supposed to be my last job. Plutt promised he’d let me go. All I had to do was bring him the Skywalker jewels.”

Ben shifted beside her, frowning. “Then how…?”

“Your mother caught me.” Rey laughed darkly. “She was just sitting there in the dark, cup of tea in hand, waiting for me. I thought I was done. Maybe even dead. Instead, she offered me a place with her, with the Resistance. A life and a purpose and a home. And this time I wasn’t stupid enough to say no.”

Rey leaned back, the last of her tears drying on her skin.

“She saved us, you know. Not just me, but Finn too. He’d gotten in with the First Order. One of Snoke’s henchmen. He ran one night. He never told me what happened, only that he couldn’t go back. So he started fencing my loot for Plutt, until Leia brought him in too.”

Rey finally turned, meeting his eyes for the first time. “You have every right to be mad at her. But I hope you’ll find it in yourself to forgive her someday. She was only trying to protect you.”

“I know.” Ben swallowed, nodding to himself. “I know she was.”

“If it makes you feel any better,” He turned to find Rey smirking at him, “Poe’s wanted to get you involved for a while now. I was the one who pushed back. Well, me and Leia.”

Ben’s brow quirked, a question springing forth in his mind, desperate for an answer. “Why?”

“Why what?” She asked, looking back to the mountains.

“Why did you push back?”

He watched her as she hesitated, her jaw working as she puzzled over her answer. 

“She lost you once.” She answered quietly. “I wasn’t going to let her lose you again.”

How it was possible for Rey to be so perfect, he didn’t know. All he knew was that he’d never loved anything more than he loved her in that moment. 

“I wish he’d convinced you.” He murmured.

Rey’s head snapped to him, eyes questioning. 

“To come home.” He answered her silent question. “I wish you’d said yes.”

Her eyes studied his, swiping back and forth like she was trying to find the lie. Disbelief colored her words as she whispered “You do?”

He nodded, reaching up to cradle her cheek in his hand, wiping away another stray tear that had fallen from her star-streaked eyes. “Of course I do. I wish you’d been with me from the beginning.”

Another sob tore through her, but this one came with a disbelieving smile. He leaned in, pressing his forehead against hers as he stared into her wide, blurry eyes.

“I do too.” She whispered. “You have no idea.”

Ben smiled, hoping to coax one out her too, before leaning down and meeting her lips half-way, savoring the taste of her as snowflakes fell gently around them, soft and safe and beautiful. 

He should tell her who he was. He should bare his heart to her as she’d so bravely bared hers for him. But Sidious was out there still, which meant none of them were safe. He would return tomorrow. He would hunt his former master until he could be sure that he was gone for good. He would snuff out that threat once and for all. Then, when he could be sure that they were safe from his past, he would tell her. He would tell them all. 

But for now he would hold her, and kiss her, and protect her body and soul. One last night of peace and safety before the war began again. 

_________________________________

“Well,” Poe said, handing Leia a glass of whiskey, “That could’ve gone worse. Could’ve gone _better_. But, it also could’ve gone much worse.”

She accepted the drink absently, staring into the fireplace as she took a long pull. The golden liquid burned down her throat, but she hardly even noticed. She only drank more. 

“Look…” Poe started, then stopped, turning as another presence reentered the room. She didn’t need to turn around to know Luke was there, and - thankfully - Poe, Maz and Finn didn’t need to be told it was time they retired to bed. 

Silence fell over the room once more, the only sounds that of shifting fabric and crackling fire as everyone cleared out. Everyone but her brother. 

He waited for the doors to click shut upstairs before he moved, her ears attuned to the soft padding of his feet as they inched closer to where she sat, perched in an armchair that dwarfed her, using it’s edges as a shield against the demons that threatened to break her. 

She wanted nothing more than to break down, to let every drop of water her body contained fall, every tear she’d restrained after she lost Han. Lost Ben. Lost _him_.

She wanted to, but she wouldn’t. He was alive, and while the fight he expected would most certainly take place, she didn’t have it in her to have it out now. Not when she’d just watched her son crumble under the weight of their secrets. And not when she needed answers more than angst.

“Leia…” 

“Who is the Raven?”

Luke froze, still a few feet away from her perch. She turned slowly, leveling him with a glare that left no room for escape as she watched him work over his answer with wide, unsuspecting eyes.

Finally, he settled, looking grim. “I think you already know.”

The look in his eyes was all she needed to know that she did. If she was honest with herself, she always had. She nodded, just once. Enough to confirm. Twisting back to the fire, she took another long pull of whiskey. 

“Where was he?” She whispered, her lips perched at the edge of the glass. 

“That’s for him to tell you, Leia.” Luke replied, moving to stand beside her chair, his hands dipping into his pockets.

She swallowed, those traitorous tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. I thought…” She shook her head. “I thought he would. After today. After everything…”

Luke knelt down beside her, taking her free hand and squeezing gently. “He will.” He said firmly, his eyes meeting hers with profound certainty. “Just give him time.”

She hiccuped once, which all things considered, was probably preferable to crying, though infinitely less appropriate for the somberness of the scene. Luke smiled gently, reaching for the glass that she hadn’t realized was quivering in her shaking hand. 

“My s-son…” Another hiccup. “He never came back to me. Did he?” A question, but also the truth. One she’d tried her hardest to bury ever since he’d shown up in her office that day. “Not really. H-he’s someone else now.”

“No.” Luke shook his head, his voice heavy with promise. “Your son is very much alive. Wherever he was, whatever he did, he’s still your boy. He’s still our Ben.”

A tear fell then, unbidden, and she used her newly freed hand to wipe it away with a sniffle. “H-how do you know?”

Luke’s eyes glimmered, his lips curving into a closed-mouth smirk. “Because no one is ever really gone.” 

A sob tore through her then, her eyes blurring from the all the tears as her brother curled around her, cradling her head in his hands. He still smelled how she remembered, though the scruff of his beard against her cheek was something new. 

“Give her time.” Luke said, rubbing a hand down her back soothingly. 

Leia stiffened, pulling back to face him, questioningly. “Her?”

Luke smiled, reaching for the whiskey he’d set down on the floor and pressing his lips to the edge. “I know I wasn’t the only one who noticed that Miss Niima didn’t go to her room when she left earlier.” 

Her lips curved as her brother took a sip of her whiskey with a dramatic smack of his lips. 

“I have been hoping…”

“I daresay you’re not the only one.” Luke chuckled, turning to look up at rooms in question. “I’ve never seen him so…”

“Entranced?” Leia snorted, “Off-kilter? Tongue-tied?”

“Happy.” Luke replied, turning back to her. “When he was dancing with her, the other night, in that ballroom.” He shook his head. “I can’t recall the last time I ever saw him look so happy.”

Her eyes flew up to the bedroom doors, her heart fit to burst as Luke’s words settled over her. How many times had she watched Ben sneak glances at her beautiful right-hand woman? How many times had she watched him grow flustered in Rey’s presence, or make Han-esque comments that made her cringe, even if she did see right through his veneer? He’d pined after Rey from the moment he laid eyes on her, his interest obvious immediately, no matter that she hadn’t laid eyes on her son in years. She knew that look in his eyes. She’d seen it in his father’s countless times before. 

But for all her efforts to push them together, they’d instead settled on the same hidden glances and bitter barbs that had marked her own early relationship with Han Solo, letting tension bubble up until their walls were so high she wondered if nothing but divine intervention could possibly make either of them see what had always been abundantly clear to everyone else. 

Whatever Luke had seen in that ballroom, she wished nothing more than to have been a fly on the wall. To bear witness to the very thing she’d hoped and prayed for from the moment he’d walked back into her office that day.

“It’s all I’ve ever wanted for him.” She whispered hoarsely, more tears pooling at the corners of her eyes. “For her too.”

Luke’s warm hands met her wet cheeks, and she looked up to find familiar blue eyes glimmering before her as she wiped the tears from her face. 

“That boy sure takes after his father when it comes to women.”

Leia chuckled, nodding teary agreement. “You can say that again.”

Luke wiped the remaining tears from her face and then settled back on his knees on the floor before her, eyeing her up wearily. “That day… with Ben… and then Han...”

Leia raised her hand, cutting him off before he could begin. “It’s over now. Ben is here. _You_ are here.”

“But -”

“I wish he was here too. More than anything. I dream about him every night. I think about him everyday. I miss him. More than words can describe. No amount of time is going to change that.” Leia looked at her brother, distraught on the floor, and offered him a small smile. “The gods saw fit to give me back the two of you. I won’t ask for anything more.”

That was that. There would be no more discussion of it tonight. Another time perhaps, once they figured out what all of this meant; what would happen next. For now, she just wanted to sit there with her twin, in the warmth of the fire, the mountains of her youth all around her, welcoming her home once more. 

“Tomorrow,” She said turning to said mountains, “I want a tour of my city.”

“Whatever you want Leia.” Luke replied simply, rising up from the floor. “Whatever you want.”

He placed a warm hand on her shoulder, squeezing gently before leaving her in silence, letting the memories and nostalgia pull her in like one of her mother’s loving hugs. 

________________________________

Ben insisted on helping her off the roof, sliding in through the window into the hall first, his arms held wide to catch her as she stumbled in after him. 

“How the hell did you even get out there?” He questioned, pulling her back up onto her feet, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. 

“Honestly, I have no idea.” 

He chuckled, shaking his head as he picked her up in a bridal carry, just as he had when she’d tumbled down the stairs. He walked her to the bedroom she’d woken up in and set her down gently in front of the door. The living room was empty below them, the embers glowing like they’d only recently been put out. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked gently, running a hand over the bump that had formed on her head, “Can I get you anything? Pain meds? Ice? Tea?”

She shook her head, though her hands still gripped his arms firmly to keep from collapsing to the ground.  “I think I just need a warm bath.” 

“Right. Good idea.” Ben nodded, pushing the door open. She noted the way he hesitated behind her, biting his lip like he had more he wanted to say.

“Why don’t… I can…”

Rey smirked, understanding what he was trying to say, even as he stumbled over the words. “That would be great.”

He stepped around her carefully, his long legs carrying him to the bathroom door in a blur, before he realized she remained stranded against the door frame. 

“Shit, sorry.” He was back at her side a moment later, offering his arm with flushed cheeks. She couldn’t help but smile as he led her carefully to the bed, where she sat down with a groan. Her legs hadn’t been so sore since she’d started doing lunges after a few months out of the gym. It was pitiful.

“You’re taking pain meds.” Ben said, leaving no room for argument as he nodded to himself.

Rey scoffed. “I don’t…”

“Yes you do.” He cut her off, returning to the bathroom and flipping on the light as he strode toward the over-sized tub. Water rushed out of the faucet and he turned back to exit post-haste, spinning toward the bedroom door without a second glance. “I’ll be right back.”

“ _Ben_.” She groaned, throwing her head back in mock-petulance.

“I mean it.” He insisted, throwing up a hand in an attempt to reassure her. “Don’t move.”

As if she even could. 

Rey huffed, settling her hands on the bed, still wrapped up in the cozy blanket, though her butt was now cold and wet from the snow.

Ben had reacted to the unveiling of the Resistance about as well as any son could be expected to handle discovering that his mother had been running a covert intelligence agency under his nose. Which is to say that he’d been less than thrilled. 

His face had been a study in the art of grieving, though instead of seven stages, he’d shortened the emotional whiplash down to three. 

At first he’d been visibly upset, betrayed even. That shock and anger quickly morphed into a mask of stone-cold indifference, though it wasn’t clear if it was because he was hanging on to every word or blocking them out entirely. When Leia had finished, pausing to study him before asking if he was okay, he’d simply stood up, turned from all of them and stomped up the stairs. They’d all flinched at the sound of a window slamming open and then shut again. She’d followed after not long after, giving him as much time as it took her to fumble her way up the stairs while everyone else sat in awkward silence in the living room. 

Honestly, she wasn’t sure how she managed to get herself out on that roof. She hadn’t yet checked out just how badly beat up she was beneath the oversized sweater she still wore, but there was little doubt that there would be numerous cuts and bruises waiting for her next time she looked in the mirror. Everything _hurt_. But she’d dealt with worse, and her aches were nothing compared to the pain in his eyes. 

She’d expected a fight, for him to be snarky and nasty and mean. Instead she’d found a man fighting with himself, some internal battle ragging behind those eyes of his. He’d listened to her story, held her as she wept. But Rey knew there was more. There was something he wasn’t saying, some secret he kept locked deep inside. Where had he been all those years? And who was the man in the ballroom, whose laugh was the stuff of nightmares? 

“Alright! I’m back.” Ben came barreling into her bedroom, medicine bottle and a glass of water in hand. He knelt at her feet, offering up the glass before twisting off the lid and pouring out two little pink pills. “Take that.”

Rey rolled her eyes but did as she was told, taking a deep swig of water, draining half the glass. 

“Somebody’s thirsty.” Ben teased, earning him a smack to the shoulder. He chuckled, throwing down his own set of pills and gulping back the remaining water. Rey frowned, her eyes flying to his hairline. She ran her hand across his forehead gently, pushing back his raven locks in search of the injury that had him bleeding in that ballroom.

“I’m alright.” He murmured, though he flinched when her fingers ran across the cut in question, sealed up with stitches. Luke’s handiwork, no doubt. 

“Ben…”

“Seriously.” He replied, pulling away from her hand. “It’s all good. Now come on.” He stood, offering up both his bear-paw hands, “Let’s get you in that bath before we flood the place.”

She let the blanket fall from her shoulders, placing her hands in his. He pulled her up against his chest, then, before she could protest, he was bending to sweep her feet out from under her, hauling her to the waiting water like she weighed nothing more than a bread basket.

“Is this going to become a regular occurrence?” She chided, poking his chest with her pointer finger.

“What? Sweeping you off your feet?” He grinned down at her with a wink that reminded her all too much of the ones she used to treasure from Han. “You tell me sweetheart. I’m happy to oblige.”

Rey scoffed, but she couldn’t stop the smile that bloomed on her face, thankful she was able to hide it from him as he set her down gently and moved to turn off the water. 

There was a large mirror to the left, the first she’d encountered since waking earlier that day. She couldn’t stop from turning toward it, taking in her ragged appearance with a wince. She looked _terrible_. The sweater she was wearing barely covered mid-thigh, where cuts and bruises marred her skin. A particularly gruesome gash she remembered acquiring when the ceiling rained down upon them was bandaged up near her ankle, though it did little to staunch the pain. She swallowed, watching her throat bob in the mirror as she reached for the bottom of the sweater and pulled it over head, her back muscles protesting against the strain. 

She wore nothing underneath, which was fair, considering she hadn’t been wearing anything under her dress. Her body, once so familiar, now looked nearly unrecognizable. Purple splotches covered her chest and hips. Her arms were just as sliced up as her legs. A particularly ugly bruise covered her right shoulder, the deep purple splotching into spots of deep red. 

She’d been so distracted by her examination that she’d all but forgotten that Ben still stood behind her, taking her in with wide, horrified eyes. Any other time she might’ve been ashamed to stand naked before him like this. But there was no heat in his gaze. Only horror, and deep, profound sadness. 

“Rey.” His voice was barely more than a breath in the wind. “I’m so sorry.”

She huffed out a sigh, running a careful hand over one of the deeper gashes along her arm before turning around to face him with a shrug. 

“Would it make you feel better if I told you I’d seen worse?”

Ben gulped, his eyes glued to the nasty spot of her shoulder like it had attacked him personally. “Not really, no.”

Rey smiled sadly, turning to reach for the edge of the bathtub, the water still steaming. Ben was at her side in an instant, soundlessly asking if he could help her once more. She nodded in silent assent, noting the cuts and bruises on his own forearms as he pushed back the sleeves of his sweater and lifted her up and into the soothing warmth of the tub.

Ben stepped back as she settled in, reaching for a stack of towels and a bar of soap, setting it on a ledge within her reach. He kept his eyes away from her now, though whether it was in embarrassment or to keep from breaking down she couldn’t quite tell. 

“I’ll go find you something else to wear.” He said to the floor. “If you need anything, just yell.”

He turned to go with sagging shoulders, looking as small and helpless as she’d ever seen him.

“Ben?” She called out just as he was about the cross the threshold, stopping him in his tracks, his neck turning back just slightly. 

She swallowed, twisting her hands in her lap. Maybe this was foolish. Maybe she’d misinterpreted his words, his stolen glances. The way he’d cradled her close. Maybe he’d tell her no, and leave her here in this bathroom all alone.

But on the off chance that maybe he wouldn’t...

“Stay?”

A question. A plea. A promise.

Ben turned, his eyes burning as they met hers, sucking every ounce of air out of the room. 

After what felt like an eternity, his lips parted, uttering a soft and barely audible question. “Are you sure?”

What a silly question. Rey nodded, scooting to the edge of the tub and laying her chin upon it. “Let me take care of you too.”

Ben’s Adam's apple bobbed in his throat, and he hesitated another moment before turning and slowly shutting the door. He walked toward her slowly, pulling his own sweater over his head, his movements strained. Rey gasped at the sight of his bare chest, his own set of bruises and cuts tangling with the scars she’d noted when last he’d been bare beneath her hands. 

“Would it make you feel better if I told you I’ve had worse?” Her eyes shot up to his, and while there was a teasing smirk on his lips, it didn’t meet his eyes.

Rey shook her head, noting more cuts and scars along his thickly muscled legs as his sweatpants joined the sweater on the floor. “What a pair we are.”

Ben huffed, discarding the last of his remaining clothes and gesturing for her to scoot forward, giving him space to slip in behind her. He displaced a humorous amount of water as he settled down against the back of the large tub, gently guiding her back to rest against his chest.  

He reached immediately for the soap and washcloth, lathering it up before pressing it gently to her good shoulder, beginning his slow trek southward. 

It was difficult to believe she’d only been naked with this man once before, after more than a year of denial and begrudging lust. His hands were gentle as they trailed over her, washing away the ash and blood and terror. She hummed as his path brought his hands to her upper thighs, his lips caressing just below her ear. 

“How are you feeling?” He murmured, his breath tickling her skin, sending shivers down her spine despite the heat of the water. 

Rey sighed deeply, her aches and pains dissipating with each pass of his hands. Perhaps it was the medicine, or the soothing warmth of a hot bath. And perhaps it was just him. Just Ben. Taking her as she was and washing away her pain. 

“Better.” She answered, running her hands along his thighs, settled on either side of her hips, cradling her against him. “How do _you_ feel?”

Ben hummed lightly, running his nose along her neck, stopping to press a kiss to the crook of her shoulder. “Splendid.”

Rey laughed at his word choice, her body shaking as his arms paused their meticulous work to curve around her waist. He arched them  forward slightly, burying his head against her back, pressing languid kisses down her spine. 

“I thought I lost you.” He said, his voice low and haunted. 

Rey reached back, resting her hand on his cheek, her other hand finding his beneath the water and entwining their fingers together. 

“And here I thought you might be glad to see me go.” Rey teased, noting the way his hands tightened around hers. 

He lifted his head from her back, turning her in his arms so that their eyes met. He watched her carefully, a storm brewing in those chocolate depths. “No Rey.” He said, firm, unwavering. “Never.”

Rey’s heart leaped to her throat, her eyes burning as they stared into his own, locked there by a force so powerful she dared not fight it. He was staring at her with such profound emotion she thought she might break underneath the weight of it. Everything she thought she knew, everything she thought she was, all of it was thrown out the window. There was only him. Only his eyes. Only his hands. Only his heart, beating steadily beneath the hand that had come to rest against his chest. 

She’d never been in love before. Not really. She loved Finn, and Poe and Leia and the others. She’d put her life on the line to protect them. Go to war for them if she had to. But it was nothing like this.

This all-consuming, indescribable heaviness that settled in her chest. The thrill of excitement when he entered a room and the hollowness left in his wake the second he left it. He was infuriating, and stubborn, and an ass. But he was also sweet, and gentle, and caring. His smile never failed to take her breath away, his laugh a soothing balm on her most terrible days. She didn’t know when it happened exactly. When he went from being a thorn in her side to being the very air she needed to breathe. It had been a slow process for sure. So slow that she hadn’t even recognized it fully until this very moment. But somewhere along the way Ben Solo burrowed into her heart, and now he was as vital to her as the blood pumping through her veins. 

Rey twisted until she was sitting in his lap, her hands running gently down the sides of his face, her eyes never breaking from his as she swallowed back the tears that threatened to fall, fat and heavy, her lips quivering unbidden. 

One of Ben’s hands came to cradle her neck, the other pressed against the center of her back, holding her close, but still not close enough. 

Rey’s eyes flickered to his lips, then back to his eyes, leaning in hesitantly as she watched his throat bob. Then she closed the space between them, her lips meeting his in a flurry of unsaid words and silent declarations. The hand on her back rose to pull her closer, deepening the kiss, his mouth opening to welcome her greedy tongue. 

It was a battle of wills, both of them desperate to be closer whilst carefully avoiding causing the other pain. Her hands tangled in his hair, his slid lazily along the length of her, caressing every aching muscle and leaving goosebumps in their wake. 

She would’ve devoured him whole if he’d let her. Would’ve given over everything, every breath in her lungs, every bone in her body. Her body sang, her heart soared, and the dam behind her eyes broke, releasing the tears she’d willed away, no longer able to restrain the emotional tidal wave. 

Ben pulled back as the first drop fell against his cheek, his thumbs immediately moving to wipe away the culprit. 

“It’s okay.” He purred, nuzzling his nose against hers. “Everything is okay.”

Rey nodded, gasping for air, her hands cradling his face, tangling in his hair, memorizing every inch of his perfect, beautiful face. 

He smiled, dimples and all, then brushed his thumb over her mouth, leaving behind a salty trail of tears. 

“Rey.” He whispered, his eyes lifting from her lips to meet her gaze. “I love you.”

She froze, staring at him like he’d struck her, waiting for the other shoe to drop. When it didn’t, when he just looked at her like she had stars in her eyes, she shook her head in disbelief. 

“I… you… _what_?”

“I love you Rey.” He repeated, brushing her hair back away from her face. “Desperately. Hopelessly. So much that I think it just might kill me.” 

He leaned in, his hands running down her shoulders as his eyes traced over her body, not with lust, but as if it might be the last time he had the chance. “I know I’ve been terrible to you. And I have nothing to say to that but I’m sorry. But I need you to know. Whatever I’ve done. Whatever I’ve said. I need you to know that you are loved. Deeply, truly loved.”

Rey gasped, tears tearing out of her in droves as she threw her arms around him and buried her face in his neck. “You...you… you absolute _idiot_.”

Ben stiffened, his arms wrapped tightly around her loosening slightly. 

“I… have wanted you… everyday… every _damn_ day…” She sobbed into his neck, every emotion she’d ever shoved away bursting forth like a long dormant volcano finally seeing the light of day. 

At her words, Ben’s hold tightened once again, his hand cradling the back of her head as he pulled her closer. She couldn’t take it anymore. She had to have him. She needed his lips on hers. His body inside her, claiming her, promising her, _loving_ her. She pulled back from his embrace, taking his face in her hand and forcing him to meet her gaze. He looked worried, and that simply would not stand. 

“I love you too, you stubborn, over-sized tree trunk.” Another tear spilled down her face, his thumb there to catch it. And then she was on him. Her lips feasting on his mouth, her hands ravaging his scarred skin. No thought to the pain, only pleasure. Only him. 

Not one to be outdone, Ben tossed aside all hints of the gentle giant he’d been earlier in favor of ravishing her fully. His hand flew to her core, soaked by more than just the bathwater, stroking with the skill of a man who must’ve taken _very_ detailed notes considering it was only the second time he’d had his hands on her. He groaned into her mouth as she cried out in triumph, pleasure coursing through her every cell as she gave herself over to him, mind, body, and soul.

Eighteen months of heartache washed away with each curve of his fingers, every sound she pulled from his filthy, delicious mouth. Their first time had been hot, heavy, sensual. This was something else entirely. No hesitation. No restraint. Just pure, unadulterated love. 

The attack didn’t matter. The man in the ballroom didn’t matter. The Hapes Consortium? The First Order? The Resistance? None of it mattered. 

Ben loved her. 

He _loved_ her. 

The little girl on the street, the one who’d begged and scavenged to stay alive. The street rat who stole and robbed and hurt just to secure her next meal. The woman who stood beside him in the boardroom, who’d pulled herself up and done something good for once in her life. 

He loved _her_. All of her. Even the broken, bruised parts - those both visible and invisible. 

And as he laid her in bed that night, wrapped in nothing but a towel and the lingering sensation of his release inside of her, she wondered if it was possible to die from happiness.

“I sure hope not.” Ben purred in response to her not so silent question, kissing her neck as he settled in behind her. She smiled by way of response, savoring the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, holding her close as the sound of crackling firewood lulled her into a deep, contented sleep.

___________________________________

To say that Cassian Andor was frustrated would be an understatement. For the fifth night in a row now, he’d stood in the cold, his breath turning to steam in his face as Kylo Ren failed to turn up when signalled for. 

He’d be furious at himself for even bothering if he wasn’t so worried that something had happened to the masked vigilante. 

Which, really now, how absurd was that? 

As suspected, Jyn Erso was merely the first of a string of attacks against Coruscant’s most vocal opponents of the First Order. Hera Snydulla had been lucky enough to walk away with a car blown halfway to hell, grateful for whatever fool had detonated the device before she’d slipped inside. 

Ahsoka Tano hadn’t been quite so lucky. She was alive, though no one seemed to know how long that was likely to remain the case. Whatever poison they’d used to spike her morning coffee had made quick work of her internal organs, but the feisty judge held on, seemingly refusing to die before she had a chance to look her attacker in the face. 

Mayor Mothma had gone on a much deserved vacation, insisted upon by her staff as well as her husband who, if rumors served, had dragged his wife, kicking and screaming, out the door of their home and into their car, not stopping until they were so far from the city that it would’ve taken far more resources than were apparently allocated to take her out. That didn’t stop her from calling in though. He’d received more calls from the commissioner in the past week than he had in his whole career, always passing on some request from the mayor. 

He liked Mon. Really, he did. But between her calls, Kylo Ren’s apparent disappearance, and his normal job responsibilities that seemed to spin wildly out of control, he was at his wits end. 

Grabbing his bag off his chair, he turned to leave, ready to put another 14-hour day behind him when the voice of his most trusted cadet forced him to a stop.

“Hey Cap?” 

Cassian paused, his hovering above the doorknob, just out of reach. 

Sighing, he turned. “What Alan?”

The cadet in question swallowed, his eyes glazed as they flew across his computer screen. “I think you’re going to want to see this.”

Cassian threw his bag back onto his desk, hardly bothered by the scattering of papers, stress balls, and dirty coffee mugs. He really should bring those home soon. 

“Make it quick Alan. I’ve had a long day.”

“Sorry Cap.” The man clicked his mouse in rapid succession, revealing a video, returned to its starting point as Cassian moved to stand over Alan’s shoulder. “I just received this from an anonymous source.”

He clicked play and the screen flicked to life, revealing the private landing strip on the far side of town. A cargo plane was being unloaded, the men all dressed in black. Nothing terribly out of the ordinary.

“What, exactly, am I supposed to be looking at?”

“Just give it a minute.” Alan clicked ahead on the video, stopping when a tall, willowy figure appeared from the corner of the screen. Cassian recognized him immediately. “What the hell is Snoke doing out in the open.”

“Great question.” Alan replied, “And it gets weirder.”

Cassian’s eyes narrowed as the First Order boss approached two more figures. One was small, somewhat nondescript, his white hair visible underneath what appeared to be a dark robe. The second was his polar opposite. Enormously rotund, barely restrained by his clothes, a cigar hanging from his mouth. 

“Is that…”

“Jabba Hutt?” Alan offered, pausing the video to zoom in. “Yeah I think it is.”

“Alright.” Cassian straightened, crossing his arms over his chest. “Then who is this other guy?”

“That’s the thing Cap. I ran his face against our databases, and nobody came up as a match. But, as I looked closer, I realized he looked familiar. I didn’t know why at first, but then I tried to ignore all the scarring and deformities.”

Cassian tapped his foot impatiently. “ _And_?”

“It’s Sheev Palpatine, sir. I’d bet my next paycheck on it.”

Cassian stiffened. “Palpatine? As in, the former corrupt chancellor? _That_ Palpatine?

“That’s the one.”

Cassian leaned in, studying the image against his memories from his youth during the war. “Zoom in closer, will ya?”

Sure enough, the further in Alan zoomed, the clearer the resemblance became. Age had not been kind, but he’d recognized those distinct blue eyes anywhere.

“Shit.” He breathed. “Shit shit shit.” 

Cassian’s hand reached for the gun in his holster on reflex, hidden from view beneath his trusty jacket. So much for going home before midnight. So much for going home _ever._  

Turning without warning, Cassian crossed the room, grabbing his bag off his desk and further scattering his paperwork.

Alan stood, throwing down the headphones that had been wrapped around his neck. “Wait, Cap, what’s going on?”

His hand gripped the doorknob, pulling it backward as a gust of cold air whipped into the station as he turned back to Alan. “You don’t show that to anyone. You hear me? I don’t care if the Commissioner himself shows up asking for it. You never saw anything. Understood?”

Alan nodded stiffly. “Understood.”

“Good. Now go home Alan.”

“Yes sir. But… where are you going?”

Cassian turned back, taking a long look at his favorite young cadet, before offering the only answer he could as he stepped out into the cold darkness of the night. 

“To visit an old friend.”


	21. Power Over Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I'm a week late again. But in my defense, I spent last weekend writing half of this chapter before getting distracted by fixing all of the errors in the 19 previous chapters that were never beta-ed. So there's that. 
> 
> This chapter is brought to you by the following tunes:  
> In Your Arms - ILLENIUM, X Ambassadors  
> Fire On Fire - Sam Smith  
> Power Over Me - Dermot Kennedy

Rey woke slowly, frowning as she stretched out in the enormous bed. It was cold, which struck her as odd. The last thing she remembered was Ben Solo wrapped tightly around her, radiating like an oven. She’d fallen asleep to his lips caressing her neck, her shoulder, every inch of skin he could get his mouth on, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. The pleasant ache between her legs was evidence enough that he’d been there. She could still feel his hands on her skin, his soft breath against her neck, his arms draped lazily around her, where they’d been when she’d woken in the middle of the night to find him sleeping peacefully against her. 

She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gotten a better night’s sleep. Dreamless and warm. Cozy, despite the aches and pains. She might never have left this bed if he was still in it, but seeing how his arms were currently _not_ enveloping her, it appeared that he’d had a little more self control. 

Her body protested as she rolled over slowly, though it was noticeably less painful than it had been the day before. Her eyes landed on a glass of water and two familiar pills sitting on her bedside table. Forcing herself to sit up, she threw back the medicine with a large gulp of water and turned to scan the room. Voices could be heard from the other side of the door, and she felt her body relax at the familiar sounds. The sun was shining brightly through the window on the other side of the room, a clear indication that she’d slept in quite a bit later than she normally would. She spotted a thick sweater resting on the bench at the end of the bed, along with what looked to be a pair of soft leggings. 

With a long stretch of her shoulders, Rey moved to swing her legs to the edge of the mattress, testing her feet against the soft rug that covered the hardwood floors. Breathing in deeply, she pushed herself up, her arms outstretched to hold her balance as she tried to stand without support. Ben would’ve laughed at her if he was watching. She could hear his deep chuckle, see the way his broad shoulders would shake and his eyes would sparkle. He didn’t offer up genuine laughter often, but when he did, it was like he was shifting the stars. He’d been so solemn and serious in the last day or so - with good reason, granted - but Rey couldn’t wait to see that smile again. To pull it from his lips by force if she had to. They didn’t have to hide anymore. He could tease her mercilessly and she could give it right back, but they would _know_. And somehow, she knew that would make all the difference. 

Thankfully, and somewhat shockingly, it seemed that her legs were going to cooperate with her brain today, and she was able to walk to the end of the bed without falling down. She pulled the oversized sweater over her head, recognizing the familiar earthy smell of musk and pine that screamed _Ben_. The sleeves were so long that they would need to be rolled multiple times if her hands were to be of any use, but she didn’t care. It was his sweater, and in it’s own way it was almost as good as waking up with him. 

 _Almost_. 

Rey pulled on the remaining clothes he’d left for her and made her way to the bathroom to get ready for the day, smiling as she looked toward the bathtub, memories of the night before sparking warmth in her core. She knew they couldn’t stay long in Alderaan, not with all the chaos that was no doubt erupting in the aftermath of the attack on the Hapes Consortium. But she hoped they’d come back someday. 

It had always been bad luck to plan for the future. Getting through each day had been such a risk as it was. Now though, she couldn’t help it. The future was spreading before her like a pair of wings, ready to carry her off into the horizon. 

She could already hear the jokes from Poe, feel Finn’s ribbing at her with a sly smirk that screamed ‘I told you so’, and see Leia’s eyes brimming with tears as she tried and failed to keep the smile off her face. She’d roll her eyes and bat them away and blush so red she’d look like a tomato, but she didn’t care. Ben loved her. She’d happily endure the worst of their teasing if she could do so from the safety of his arms.

With the warmth of that thought in mind, she strode to the door of her bedroom, pulling it open to find the living room full of her friends. All conversation stopped as she stepped to the edge of the railing, her eyes skating across the familiar faces in search of only one. 

Poe and Finn stood at a distance from one another, though both were at the far side of the room, the sun back-lighting them in an angelic glow. Leia was near the kitchen, her hand on the edge of one of the high-backed chairs that formed the semi-circle around the fire. Luke stood before said fire, with Maz perched on the couch nearby. But there was no Ben. The dark, hulking presence she would’ve been able to sense from a mile away was nowhere to be found. 

Leia moved in the corner of her eye, taking a step toward her. “Rey…”

Rey frowned as her eyes continued to scan the room. “Where’s Ben?” 

Poe turned away at the question, rubbing the bridge of his nose between his fingers as Finn began pacing, his hands slipping behind his neck in a gesture she knew meant bad news. Luke turned back to the fire, his back to the rest of the room, while Maz took a deep sip of her coffee from her perch on the couch.

Leia took another step forward, her hands falling to her side as she sighed out defeatedly. “We were hoping he was with you.”

Rey’s eyes blew wide, her heart stopping in her chest. She couldn’t remember the last thing she ate, but she knew it was about to be thrown back up. 

“What do you mean…? W-where did he go?”

Leia looked away, seemingly unable to get another word out, so Rey leveled her glare at Poe.

He swallowed, running one hand through his hair as the other fell to rest at his hip. “The helicopter isn’t where we left it.” He stated simply. “So if he’s not with you…”

Rey couldn’t breathe. Her mind wiped blank as she felt her legs give out beneath her. She sank to the floor in a state of shock. She didn’t understand. He’d been right there. She’d felt him. She’d seen him. She’d heard those words and felt those hands. She was wearing his clothes for kriff's sake. Clothes he’d left for her, because he said he loved her and cared about her and now… now…

He was _gone_.

 

______________________________________

He fucked up.

Every bone in his body had been screaming that fact at him from the moment he’d forced himself to detangle from Rey in the middle of the night. Despite the bruises and cuts that marked her perfect skin, she’d looked so impossibly beautiful lying there, curled up naked in his arms, her chest rising and falling steadily beneath his hand.

But he couldn’t ignore those bruises and cuts. He couldn’t ignore the danger she was in just by being associated with him. It didn’t matter if she was the elusive Scavenger, the one he’d watched take out thugs twice her size on a regular basis. It didn’t matter that she’d somehow fallen out of a forty story window and lived to tell the tale. It didn’t matter that her whole life had been one long battle, or that she was unquestionably the strongest person he knew. 

He’d made himself a promise in that elevator, staring at the three rules he’d broken so spectacularly along the way. He’d promised to protect her and he’d failed. Every mark on her skin was a reminder of that. Every hesitant step or shortened breath like a dagger to the heart, sinking in deeper the longer he stayed awake studying them. 

He shouldn’t have told her that he loved her. It was selfish, and stupid and he would only cause her more pain. But sitting there in that tub, with her in his lap looking at him like that… the words had left his mouth before he could even consider stopping them. He needed that one truth to be spoken between them, just in case he never had the chance to say it again, consequences be damned.

For her to love him in return was almost too much. He didn’t deserve it in the slightest, and quite frankly, he found it too impossible to believe. But all the doubt he’d harbored after she said the words was washed away with every careful caress, every brush of her lips, every breathless sigh he pulled from her as they made love, her body cradling his like it was the most precious thing in the world. Her eyes spoke the words her lips could not say, and when he’d laid her down in that bed and she’d whispered the careful question of whether one could die from happiness in that darling accent of hers, he was certain that she’d pulled the thought directly from his mind. 

He didn’t want to leave her. He didn’t want to stop touching her - _ever._ But those cuts kept calling to him. And so he’d forced himself away from her. He’d planned to leave a note, going so far as to write one, explaining where he was going and what he had to do and telling her that she couldn’t follow after him.

Then he’d looked at her.

He knew Rey. He might’ve only just learned that she was the Scavenger, but honestly that made little difference. She would come after him anyway, whether she had the skills or not. That was who she was. Loyal to a fault, too stubborn for her own good. She wouldn’t listen to him, not for one second. It wouldn’t matter if he begged her on his knees, and it certainly wouldn’t matter if he begged her via note. So he’d burned it, choosing instead to leave her with warm clothes, more pain medicine, a refilled glass of water and a long, lingering kiss to the top of her head. She’d sighed into that kiss, murmuring something indistinguishable as her hand reached for him in the dark. His eyes burned, staring at her tiny hand reaching for him, wanting so desperately to take it and never let go. The burning didn’t stop as he tore himself from the room, from the house, from Alderaan and all the people he loved that were safe so long as they remained hidden there. 

He had to protect them. He had to protect her. And as long as his former Master walked this Earth, they were not safe. 

The Resistance would come after him. He knew that. Especially now that he knew all the resources they had at their disposal. But that was why it all the more important that he left now. He needed a head start, to cut them off before they could get involved. 

At least, that’s what he continued to tell himself as he flew through the air in the helicopter Luke had commandeered from the First Order in Canto Bight, fighting against his every instinct to turn back around and return to her bed.

The immediate relief Chewie had expressed when Ben had radioed him that morning was quickly replaced by shock once he’d told him all that his mother had revealed. 

“Did you know?”

“What?! No!” Chewie insisted. “You think I would’ve let Leia put herself at risk like that? Han would _kill_ me.”

True enough. He wouldn’t put it past his father to find a way to return from the dead just to bring his best friend back with him if any harm befell his wife. At this rate, it seemed every other man in his family had already found a way to do just that. 

But that was wishful thinking. And he knew better than to think his father would return as his uncle had. No one had known what happened to Luke, only that he’d disappeared. Han, on the other hand, had died right in front of him. He’d watched the life drain from his eyes as he cradled his body in that alley. He’d heard his final words, felt his final touch. 

His father was gone, and no amount of wishing otherwise would bring him back. But the man who made it so was still breathing. As was the man who’d used Ben’s pain and guilt and turned it into a weapon intended to destroy everything he held dear. It was time they paid for that. Both of them. And if Chewie’s intel was accurate, it seemed that taking them both out had just become a little bit easier. 

Chewie was waiting in his nondescript black SUV when Ben landed the helicopter with a soft thud on the runway. He’d been a senior in high school when his father had started taking him up for flying lessons. Leia protested vehemently, but Han had just shooed her away with a wink at his son, and the lessons had continued anyway. Ben wasn’t half the pilot his father was, or even Poe for that matter. But he still knew his way around a plane. And while helicopters were not his preferred method of flying, he’d managed to get the chopper out of the mountain fog and into Coruscant airspace with only a few close calls. 

Even so, he was grateful to be on solid ground. He was even more grateful to get into said SUV and not be responsible for getting them from point A to point B. He was exhausted. He’d hardly slept the night before, and had been flying on pure adrenaline for the last few hours. 

“Have I mentioned that you look like shit?” Chewie said from the front of the car, “Because you seriously look like shit.”

Ben grunted, running his hand over his face.

“May I recommend you sleep before we get too deep into your grand plan?”

Ben turned to look out the window, the city skyline growing closer by the minute. “We don’t have time for that.”

“You’ll forgive me for insisting that you _make_ time for it.” He felt Chewie’s eyes on him from the rear-view mirror. “You’re in no condition to do much of anything right now Ben. If you want to stand a chance, you need to rest.”

Chewie almost never used his name, no matter how many times both he, and his mother, had insisted on it. It was always _Master Solo_ . It was ridiculous. His mother wasn’t _Mistress_ Organa, and his father had certainly never been _Master_ anything. But Chewie had insisted, and Ben had given up trying to get him to change his ways. So hearing it now meant something. Ben knew it, and Chewie knew it. And there was little he could do to argue.

“Fine.” He replied, somewhat petulantly. “But not long.”

Chewie nodded in agreement, placated. “I’ll wake you up before dark.”

Ben nodded, turning back to find himself immersed within the Coruscant skyline. They passed over the undercity, where he now knew Rey had spent the first half of her life fending for herself. Everything he’d learned about the Scavenger made so much sense now. Of course she spent her time protecting the weak and vulnerable in the undercity. She’d once been the little girl in need of protecting herself. 

“How’re you handling the news?” Chewie asked after a long bout of silence. 

Ben looked toward him. “I don’t know.” He answered honestly. “Part of me is relieved. Another part of me is pissed as hell.”

Chewie chuckled. “Pissed about which part?”

Ben turned back, watching the dilapidated buildings pass them by. “I spent so many months looking for her. Hoping that maybe she’d be… I don’t know… something of a friend? I pushed Rey away and sought to fill that void with the Scavenger and now I find out that she was the same person all along.” Ben huffed, “I don’t know how the hell to feel. So I just feel pissed. Pissed that I was so blind. Pissed that I didn’t tell her how I felt sooner. Pissed that she had to go through everything she went through. That she didn’t take my parents' offer to come home with them sooner.”

Chewie was silent for a moment. “She told you about that?”

Ben turned to him. “You knew?”

Chewie nodded. “I didn’t know she was the Scavenger. But I knew about the little girl Han met in the streets. Your mother knew her too, as a child. She used to bring your old things to the undercity orphanages.”

Ben felt his stomach sink. “I was horrible to her.” He muttered, the shame of those early interactions bubbling to the surface. “The things I said… The way I acted…”

“You didn’t know.” Chewie cut him off, meeting his eyes knowingly. “And she didn’t want you to. Just like you haven’t wanted her to know the other half of who you are.”

Ben looked away again, thinking back to the night before. She’d told him she loved him, but she didn’t know him. Not really. Would she feel the same if she did? He wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer.

“I didn’t tell her. I… I couldn’t…”

Chewie nodded solemnly, as if he’d already known as much.

“You’ll know when the time is right.” He stated, a final verdict. “Until then, don’t dwell on it.”

Ben scoffed. Right. Don’t dwell on it. Don’t dwell on the fact that the woman he loved didn’t know who he was. That he’d left her without so much as a warning and returned to his city to fight a battle he was sure to lose, stuck with the knowledge that she would no doubt hate him when it was all said and done. He’d been selfish, taking and taking and taking, with no regard for what that would leave her with when it was all said and done. 

They made it back to his apartment in silence, Ben so deep in thought that he hardly noticed that they’d entered the garage. Once the car drew to a stop, he spoke again. 

“Chewie, if I don’t…”

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence.” Chewie snapped, spinning in his seat to face him. “Don’t you fucking dare. You hear me? If you die, I will kill you. Your mother will kill you. Poe will kill you. And Rey will kill us all for killing you and then bring you back and do it again herself.”

Ben swallowed, shocked still by the force of Chewie’s words.

“Your father died to save you.” Chewie continued, tears burning in both of their eyes now. “I owed him a life debt. Did you know that? I owed him my _life_. And I never got to give it to him. But I’ll be damned if I don’t repay him through you. I’ll be _fucking_ damned Ben.”

Chewie spun back into his seat, but Ben knew that he was crying. His own body was reacting with such force that he thought he might be sick. 

“Chewie…”

“Don’t.” The man responded, his voice thick. “Just… just don’t.”

Silence filled the car, the heavy weight of things unsaid burying them both. After many minutes, Chewie straightened in front of him, though he did not turn back to face him again. 

“You’re my son Ben. Maybe not by blood, but in every other way that matters. I’ve called you Master for years to make sure I remembered my place. I could never replace your father. I would never _want_ to replace Han. And I would give _anything_ to have my best friend back. I… I miss him.” He heaved a sigh, lifting a hand and running it across his face. “Ben, you are all we have left of him. Your mother and me. I know you want revenge, and I know you want justice, but he would want you to _live_. He would want you to carry on, to be _happy_.”

Chewie turned then, looking at him with ancient, sad eyes, the emotion held there almost too much to bare. He’d been there through it all - every tantrum, teenage mood swing or rebellious outburst. He’d always been there, with unwavering support and a warm hug. He was constant and steady in a way his parents never managed to be, and if he really thought on it, he knew he’d have to acknowledge that it was Chewie who’d always kept him from falling over the edge. It was Chewie who always had the wisdom he needed and the ability to say it in a way he would actually take to heart. He didn’t replace his father and he never could’ve. Because he’d been there too, raising him in his own way. Tag-teaming with his father, stepping up where Han faltered, but never overstepping his bounds. 

“I will stand by you until the end, Ben. But I will not watch you walk to your death.” Chewie shook his head, biting his lips and looking down as he muttered, “Please. Don’t ask me to.”

Ben reached forward, taking Chewie’s hand as he waited for Chewie to meet his eyes. He did slowly, like it hurt him to look. 

“I won’t.” Ben promised, squeezing his hand in a gesture he hoped was as comforting as when his mother did it. “But I have to do this. I have to end it.”

Chewie swallowed, tears forming in the corner of his eyes as he studied Ben’s face. Then he nodded, blinking back his tears and straightening his posture. 

“Fine.” His lips curved into the barest hint of a wistful smile before turning away to open his door. “But you still look like shit. Come on Master Solo. Let’s get you that nap.”

Ben laughed at the return of the blasted title, shaking his head as he pushed himself out of the car, stuffing his hands in his pockets as the two men walked to the elevator in comfortable silence. Chewie wasn’t kidding. The reflective nature of the elevator door confirmed that he really did look as bad as he felt. Worse even, though how that was possible he wasn’t quite sure. The bags under his eyes were as pronounced as they’d ever been, his eyes bloodshot and his hair utterly disheveled. He had his share of cuts and bruises too. Not as many as Rey, but enough to warrant another dose of pain medicine once they got upstairs. However there was one mark that made his blood run warm. There, sitting delicately at the crux of his neck, was a little purple mark. It wouldn’t stand out among the numerous other cuts and scars still healing from their fight in the ballroom, but he recognized it for what it was: a marking. _Rey’s_ marking. 

 _Rey_. 

“She’s going to _kill_ me when they get back here.”

Chewie smirked. “Your mother? Or Rey?”

Ben winced. “Both?”

Chewie chuckled, lifting a hand and patting Ben’s shoulder. “Well, on the bright side, I can think of worse ways to go.”

Ben grunted in acknowledgement, pushing off the back wall as the elevator came to stop on his floor. Chewie had the keys, lifting them up and pushing open the door for Ben to enter first. The room was as familiar as ever. The couch still rested in the middle of the room, looking out at the city below. The TV was off, the bar-stools slightly uneven, the temperature exactly as cold as he liked it - which was to say that it felt damn near freezing to everyone that didn’t run as hot as he and Chewie did. It looked like home, smelled like home, seemed for all intents and purposes like it was home. But something was off. 

The warning signs came too late for him to react in time. The dart pierced his neck before he could shove Chewie back, turning to watch the man stumble and fall in horror, a second dart sticking out from between his fingers, wrapped around it’s entry point. Ben spun, his eyesight blurring as he struggled to keep up on his feet. He reached the edge of a decorative table as two blurred figures stepped into view. Squinting, he tried to make out any recognizable details. 

A tall figure with short blonde hair stepped forward as he collapsed to the ground, the vase on the table shattering to the floor with him. 

“C-chewie…” He groaned, reaching out for the man, lying unconscious on the floor nearby. He tried to force himself up into a crawl, only to be pushed back to the ground face first by a heel to the back. He grunted, pain shooting through him despite the rest of his senses flickering in and out.

A face ducked down, red hair and bright blue eyes glimmering manically in his minimal line of sight. He knew that face. He _hated_ that face. 

“Welcome back Solo.” 

Ben growled, his teeth flashing as Armitage Hux smiled, a chilling, evil thing. Then the sneering grin was gone, a foot making solid contact with his gut, and the world faded to black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know. I did it again. And this time I have to tell you that it might be another two weeks before the next chapter can come your way. All I can really say is I'm sorry. 
> 
> This story keeps evolving over time, and the places I thought I would go have morphed into something else entirely. It's exciting, and I'm incredibly excited to write it which means I will hopefully get more done this week while I'm on lots of airplanes than I normally would. That's all I can say for now, other than that you should also all go see Birds of Prey because it's totally awesome (was not expecting that) and it maaaay have influenced some of what is to come. Also, the soundtrack is fire, so there's that.


	22. White Flag

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Take What You Want - Post Malone, Ozzy Osbourne, Travis Scott  
> White Flag - Bishop Briggs  
> Control - Halsey

Finn hated flying. He hated it with a passion that he reserved for little else in life. It made him anxious and queasy and just generally ill. Yet here he was, stuffed into yet another small plane - his third of the last 48 hours - chasing after Ben Solo yet again.

He hardly knew the man, never interacting outside of a few meetings they’d been in together over the last year or so. He was certain Solo didn’t know his name. Probably didn’t even recognize his face. And frankly, it was better that way. Finn, along with Rose, were supposed to be the least conspicuous members of the Resistance. It was part of the reason that he and Poe had been trying to keep whatever was going on between them under wraps. 

So while his boyfriend and his best friend were both intimately involved with Ben Solo in various forms and fashions, he’d managed to stay off the tall, brooding man’s radar almost entirely. Still, by way of being the boyfriend and best friend of the people in question, he’d spent far more time than he would’ve liked thinking about and talking about Ben Solo. Now he’d even risked his life for him. 

And yet that hardly seemed like enough, considering. 

He’d listened when Rey complained about Ben’s behavior or waxed poetic about how he was spoiled and wasting his potential and any number of other irritations she could list off in denial of her true feelings. He’d listened when Poe worried about how Ben was doing, about his exploits in the tabloids, about his emotional well-being in the aftermath of Han’s death and how frustrated he was that his friend wouldn’t open up to him.

He’d listened. He’d nodded along. He’d even agreed with them outwardly, egging them on when they needed it. But inside he’d sympathized with the object of their ire in ways they would never understand. 

Because he had been there. 

He had seen Ben Solo dare to refuse Snoke. 

He’d seen him fall to his knees in resignation, accepting death as if he’d earned it. 

He’d heard the shotgun ring out through the alley court.

He’d seen a father jump in the way, giving his life for his son. 

He’d heard that same son beg and plead for him not to go, watching as he cradled his father in his arms, oblivious to everything else erupting into chaos around them.

He’d seen it. He’d run. And he hadn’t spoken a word about it to another soul since.

Who was he to judge what Ben Solo had needed to do in the aftermath? Who was he to say how he should handle it? Finn had spilled his guts out the whole night afterward and Han Solo wasn’t even _his_ dad. Ben Solo had a right to whatever he needed after that. 

Even so, he couldn’t help but feel irritated at the guy. Sure, finding out one's mom was running a covert intelligence agency with your best friend under your nose couldn’t be easy news for anyone to digest. But did he have to be so dramatic as to go stealing off in a helicopter in the middle of the night?

It turned out that Luke Skywalker had a few planes of his own sitting in a hangar further into the mountains. Which was good, considering the plane Leia had commandeered in Canto Bight to bring them here was out of fuel. Poe had grown downright giddy at the sight of them, which was offset hilariously by Leia’s dagger of a glare at her brother and Rey’s outright numbness at the whole affair. 

And that was another thing. 

Rey. 

She hadn’t spoken a word since finding out Ben had left, having crumbled to the floor in what must’ve been shock. Something was happening between them, that much was clear. But he hadn’t had so much as a free moment to ask her much of anything. She hadn’t even asked how they’d all ended up in Alderaan in the first place, which, now that Finn thought about it, he wasn’t entirely sure he understood himself, logistically speaking. 

He’d woken up on yet another plane, his head throbbing and his last waking memory that of being thrown down a hillside in a blaze of fire and dirt. Maz was flying - which did absolutely nothing to make him feel less stressed about the whole thing - and Leia’s only explanation was that she’d hopped on the first commercial flight she could and thank god because she’d found them just in time. 

So… okay. He was missing a few details there. But he wasn’t all that worried about it at the moment. He was far more worried about his best friend, who continued to stare out at nothing from her seat beside him. 

Everyone was on edge, but none more so than Rey. They’d left within an hour of confirming Solo was gone, with Leia flying into high gear. Plans were forms, calls were made and before they knew it they were - regrettably - leaving the snow capped mountains of Alderaan behind. Maz was returning to Canto Bight to investigate the aftermath of the events, and the rest of them were headed back to the city, to find Ben and get out ahead of whatever was bound to happen next. What that would be, no one seemed able to know. At least, no one that wasn’t named Rey Niima. And she was not doing a whole lot of talking. 

“We’re approaching Coruscant airspace.” Luke called out from the cock-pit, Poe strapped into the co-pilot seat beside him. 

Leia was in the back with them, sitting silently, deep in her own thoughts. At Luke’s words, she shifted, the first reminder she was there since takeoff. Her eyes fell on Rey before lifting to meet his with a silent question. He shook his head, answering as best he could, before leaning in to rest his hand on Rey’s knee.

“Hey Peanut.” He tried, “We’re almost back.”

Rey nodded lightly, enough to indicate acknowledgement but nothing more. He looked to Leia, watching them with concern in her eyes, and swallowed hard. Still nothing. 

Leia rose slowly, gesturing for Finn to swap seats with her. He obliged without question, flopping down across the aisle while Leia reached for Rey’s hand, pulling her attention away from the window and muttering something in low tones he could not parse through. 

Trying to resist the bubbling frustrating he felt at being kept out of the loop, Finn turned to look out the window himself, watching as the Coruscant skyline spread out below them. He could hear Poe’s voice in the cock-pit, talking over radio to air traffic control about who they were and where they were headed. The plane continued to descend over the city, the recognizable skyscrapers reaching upward like a hand welcoming them home. Skywalker tower was the most notable of them all, standing center stage, just high enough above the rest to retain the title of tallest in the city. But there were other buildings he loved too. The wide variety of architectural styles blending together in a surprisingly cohesive way.

For all their beauty and international renown, Finn’s personal favorite was actually one of the less obvious buildings, an all-glass residential complex looking out over one of the city’s parks, shimmering in the sun with it’s distinct blue/green reflection. Ironically, it was the building Ben Solo lived in. Which by design meant he absolutely could not afford to himself. But maybe someday, if this thing with Poe lasted like he wanted it to. It was a solid dream, a good goal to track towards. 

Finn’s mind wandered to visions of that sleek condo looking out over the park, Poe’s arms wrapped around him in their dark wood kitchen as BeeBee the dog ran in circles around them. It was a beautiful daydream, a peaceful balm to soothe the headaches and actual body aches of the last few days. The building came closer, the afternoon sunlight hitting it in just the right spot for the surrounding buildings to reflect back out, and then suddenly the reflection faltered.

The plane jerked as an explosion of fire and smoke burst forth from the upper floors of the building.

“Shit!” Poe cried out from the cock-pit as Finn jerked to his feet, face pressed against the glass in utter disbelief. 

“What is going on?” It was Leia’s voice, growing closer until she was looking out the window to his left. As soon as she saw it, she crumbled. “ _No_ …”

“Leia?” Rey was beside her in a second, and Finn couldn’t even feel relieved to hear her voice. “What is…” Rey gasped, both hands flying to cover her mouth, her head shaking back and forth rapidly. “No. No that can’t… that’s not…”

Poe was there in an instant, looking at all of them with wide, horrified eyes. “Please tell me that’s not…”

“It is.” Leia dropped her eyes into her hap, a single tear falling down her face. “It is Ben’s apartment.”

“You don’t think he was in there, do you? Or… Chewie?”

Finn swallowed, turning back to the plume of smoke and flames engulfing the building he so loved. Reaching over the seat, he took Rey’s hand in his own, squeezing hard as a sob broke from deep within her. 

Leia’s eyes fell shut, her voice low and terrible. “I… I don’t know.” 

 

_________________________________

She felt nothing. 

Not when Leia directed Luke and Poe to spin the plane back around, redirecting them away from the Coruscant airport and out to the outskirts of the city where her family’s long unused home still sat; Not when they landed jerkily in the grass behind Skywalker Manor; Not when Finn grabbed her hand and forced her to follow him off the plane and into the ancient looking house that had once been Luke’s home.

She felt nothing as Rose hugged her, then Kaydel, Lando and Threepio, all of whom were waiting for them there at Leia’s direction. She felt nothing as Threepio and Lando shared an emotional reunion with Luke or when Leia ushered them all into the dusty old lounge, family photos gracing the walls in elegant wooden frames. She refused to look at the portrait of Ben, the one she knew hung on the wall behind her. She refused to look at anything at all. She just stood, listening as information was passed around and emotions were held at bay.

“... Andor stopped by last night.”

“Andor? As in, the police captain?”

Lando nodded. “The very same. And he didn’t bring good news.”

Poe huffed. “Yeah, well, is there any?”

“No.” Lando’s face fell. “Honestly, no.”

“Lando’s right.” Rose stepped forward, computer in hand. “We’ve got a big problem on our hands.” Rose set the laptop down, pressing play and straightening as the rest of the group crowded around to watch. 

“That’s Snoke!” Finn exclaimed as three men came into view of the cameras. 

“And that’s Jabba Hutt.” Leia nodded, pointing to the oversized slug of a man who Rey recognized immediately. “But who is that?”

They all leaned in closer, eyes scrunched as they tried to identify the smaller man covered by a dark hood. There was a brief moment where his face was visible and Leia shot forward with surprisingly quick reflexes to pause in just the right spot. 

Rey eyed the image carefully, recognizing the features instantly. Fear rolled through her, a shiver running down her spine. 

“I know that man.” She said, the first words she’d spoken since leaving Alderaan. “He was the one who attacked us in Canto Bight.”

All eyes shot to her before turning back to the screen. Rose bent to zoom in, the black and white image growing more and more pixelated. 

“Wait…” Leia froze. “That - that can’t be…”

“Can’t be what?” Poe questioned, leaning in further with a scrunched brown. 

“I…” Leia sat back, her eyes wide with what Rey could only describe as fear. 

“Cassian had a theory.” Lando said quietly, his eyes trained on the floor. “I didn’t want to believe it...”

“No.” Leia gasped. “No, no, no.” She spun back to face her brother, standing silent and solemn, his eyes glued to the face on the screen.

Luke heaved a defeated sigh. Then he nodded, just once, just enough to confirm her unspoken question.

“It’s him Leia.”

“It’s who!?” Poe demanded, jumping to his feet. “What is going on?”

“Sheev Palpatine.” Lando muttered from his place beside Leia. “The Emperor.”

The instant the name was spoken, the air left the room. 

“But…” Kaydel whispered, her eyes wide and fearful, “He died. Didn’t he? You…” She looked up to Luke, “You told everyone he died.”

”I was wrong.”

The room went quiet, stunned into silence by the weight of this revelation. But Rey was working through another puzzle. She’d learned a little about the war. Leia didn’t want to talk about it much, but she said enough for Rey to fill in some of the pieces. She knew about the fall of the Senate, the rise of the Imperial government and the rebels that rose up to overthrow it. But none of that lined up with the one interaction she’d had with the man in the ballroom. Ben _knew_ him. Knew him well. And he feared him. He’d called himself the darkness, the voice inside Ben’s head. That didn’t line up with the Emperor she’d read about at all. Whoever this man was, whoever he had once been, he was something else now. Something far more sinister. And Rey had a terrible feeling that the answer to where Ben Solo had been all those years was inextricably tied up with the man they were all staring at now. 

“That is why you left, isn’t it?” It was Leia, her voice soft, intended only for her brother. 

Luke looked at her with a guilt so heavy she thought he might snap. “It’s… it’s part of it, yes.”

Leia nodded in solemn acceptance, the rest of the group standing by silently. 

“Okay…” Poe’s voice cut through after a few moments more, his hand reaching up to scratch his head. “So, that’s not good news. But it still doesn’t explain what a drug lord, a crime boss, and the ex leader of the not-so-free world are doing working together. Or what they want with the Hapes Consortium’s technology.”

“It also doesn’t explain why they’d attack Ben’s apartment.” Kaydel said the words, reminding them all of the potential loss they refused to face. 

“You’re right.” Leia straightened, pulling her mask back on as she stood and walked around the coffee table, facing them all. “What _do_ we know?”

“Well,” Rose began, laying it all out. “Based on the bugs Rey placed in Hux’s hotel room, we know he was working with someone inside the Consortium. From what I could gather, it sounded like a woman’s name. Allaina, or Alara or something?”

Rey snorted, causing all heads to turn her way. “Allana. Isolder’s assistant” She sneered, “I’d say I’m surprised, but I’m not.”

Rose nodded before continuing on. “From what I can tell, she made it out with Hux and Phasma. I also know that Hux was coordinating with the Hutt Cartel. Something about a job they were supposed to be doing for them.”

“Robbing the Consortium.” Finn pipped in. “We heard them talking about it. They were stealing something from the Consortium.”

“We stole it first.” Poe added, “But, uh… well.”

“They stole it back.” Leia finished. “So it’s safe to say they have whatever it is they wanted.”

“Their meeting was at the airstrip. So it’s also safe to assume that it’s now in the city.”

“Rey.” Leia turned to her, eyes gleaming. “Can you think of anything in the Consortium portfolio that a group like this might’ve wanted? Anything that could be weaponized?”

The honest answer is yes. There are a number of inventions that could’ve been weaponized if they fell into the wrong hands. But they hadn’t been designed that way originally. It would take quite a bit of engineering to make any of the Consortium’s projects inherently violent. Except… wait… there was one…

Ben had been the one to point it out. They’d been stuffing their faces with Indian street food, courtesy of a new restaurant around the block. It was one of their later nights in the office. Ben had his shoeless feet resting on his desk, Rey’s own skirt and heels replaced with her trusty office sweats and slippers. He’d been flipping a pen between his fingers absentmindedly, a habit she’d learned to ignore. He pardoned her foot tapping, she tolerated his pen clicking. It was part of their unspoken peace agreement. 

“Have you looked at section 66?” He asked, drawing her attention away from the org chart she was looking over. He was looking at the heavily marked up paper copy of the Consortium’s research from over top the rims of his glasses. He’d started wearing them more. Only after hours of course, which set her stomach fluttering in ways she refused to contemplate. She did like him in his glasses though. It softened him somehow. Not to mention that she was the only one who got to see him this way, all adorable and disheveled. A far cry from the man who stalked the halls by day, or the one who graced the pages of those tabloids she certainly did not read at night. 

Shaking her head at the betrayal of thought, she leaned forward, letting him slide the page across the desk for her to read for herself. She recognized the section. The project was being worked on by their Biomedical department, some kind of genetic research involving scientific terms that were way over Rey’s head. 

“I looked at it, yeah. Why?” She asked, looking up to find Ben staring at the page with a furrowed brow. “You think we should read more into it?”

Ben bit the inside of his cheek, another nervous habit she’d grown to recognize. “I don’t know. For a company that claims they don’t work in arms, this kind of research is… touchy. I‘m no expert in chemical engineering, this sounds like a nerve agent. Or at least, something that could easily be turned into one.”

“Let’s flag it.” Rey acquiesced, grabbing a sticky note and plopping it down over the section. “We can bring it up in our meetings if we get that far.”

Ben was still on edge about it, but by the next day it was forgotten, their minds instead occupied with ways to one-up each other in a verbal sparing match over something that in retrospect was probably stupid. 

Now though, thinking back on all of the due diligence they’d done, the section stood out like a sore thumb.

“Yes.” She said, snapping back to the present. “Leia, before we left, you told me about what happened in Alderaan, about the chemical attack.”

Luke and Leia visibly tensed. 

Lando spun to Leia. “You don’t think…”

Leia swallowed, her eyes never leaving Rey’s as she gestured for her to keep going. 

“Ben…” She hesitated on his name, forcing the lump in her throat down, “He was uncomfortable with it. He seemed to think it was too similar to a nerve agent. Or that it wouldn’t be a stretch to turn it into one.”

Leia nodded gravely. “If that’s true, then Brendol Hux would have no trouble weaponizing it.”

“And the Hutts would be able to move it.” Lando added, “Especially if it just looks like a drug. They wouldn’t question it.”

“Still doesn’t explain how Snoke and Palpatine play in.”

Leia raised her hand to her chin, her jaw working. “Palpatine ordered the attack on Alderaan. He was a monster then, and he’ll be a monster now.”

“And Snoke?” Finn asked.

Another monster, though he was of a different variety. 

“I doubt Snoke knows.” Luke chimed in. “Palpatine will have promised him something. Power, money, something that he wants. But if his plan is to use a chemical weapon on this city, I’m certain Snoke doesn’t know the full extent.”

Rage boiled in her veins, her heartbreak and devastation morphing into a deathly fury. She didn’t care who knew what. She didn’t care one bit. They’d taken enough from her. They’d taken enough from Leia. And Ben?

She couldn’t think about Ben.

“Where are they?” She demanded, looking right at Rose. “Hux, Hutt. _Where are they?_ ”

“Rey…” Leia stood, reaching for Rey’s arm. She pulled back, stepping away as she leveled Rose with a demanding glare. 

“I know you know.” She snapped, her nails cutting into the skin of her palms, her whole body shaking with barely restrained anger. “ _Tell me_.”

Rose gulped, her lips tightening into a thin line. “Bentho’s.” Her voice shook as she answered. “They’re at Bentho’s.”

Of course they were. Rey's blood boiled anew at just the name. Snoke’s nightclub was his prized jewel in the Undercity. Many of the girls Rey had grown up with in the orphanage had ended up there. Her dear friend Unkar Plutt a frequent patron. 

Mind made up, she was gone before any of them had a chance to stop her, drowning out their voices entirely. Throwing herself onto Lando’s bike, she hot-wired the thing in seconds, tearing off into the setting sun with single minded focus. 

If they wanted to burn her world to the ground, Rey would make damn sure they went down with it.

And if she happened to uncover Ben’s fate while she was at it, well, God’s help the man that stood in her way. 

 

________________________

“We’re coming with you.”

Rose Tico and Kaydel Connix stood in the door frame to her bedroom, arms crossed and looking deadly serious.

How they managed to get back to the apartment as fast as they had was a mystery. One Rey was not overly interested in solving at the moment. She yanked open her drawer of knives, pulling them out and sliding them into the holster on her leg.

“No.”

“Yes.” Rose replied, stepping into the room and whipping open Rey’s closet door. “And you’re wearing this.”

Rey turned to find Rose holding up a black sequined jumpsuit, the neckline so low it would nearly touch her navel. 

“Like hell I am.”

“You can’t go in there as the Scavenger.” Rose pressed. “You know you can’t. But you _can_ go in dressed to kill.” She pulled out the pockets of the jumpsuit, revealing another holster for her knives, and space for a few other trinkets that were sure to be useful in enemy territory. Then she flipped the fabric inside out, revealing the same armor-like material that made up her usual cat-suit.

Rey stared at the jumpsuit, then she looked to Kaydel. “You had that made for me, didn’t you?”

Kay just shrugged. “It seemed likely that you’d one day need to look as hot as the weapons you were carrying.”

Rey grabbed the hangar out of Rose’s hand. “Fine. But you’re still not coming.”

“We are, and you’ll deal with it.”

Rey spun, ripping off her clothes, ignoring the painful stab in her chest at the absence of Ben’s familiar smell. “No.” She snapped, not caring how vicious she sounded. She pulled the jumpsuit on over her hips, sliding it down her still bruised arms, ignoring the way they ached. Then she spun back, pushing past her friends and into her bathroom. 

“Neither of you can fight worth a damn.”

“We’re better than you give us credit for.”

Rey scoffed. “I can’t protect you.”

“We aren’t asking you to.”

“This is going to be dangerous. You’re going to see things you don’t want to see, do things you don’t want to do.”

“We’re not as innocent as you think.”

Rey grabbed the edge of her sink, her grip painful. “You’re going to see _me_ do things that you don’t want to see me do.”

There was a pause. 

“And I’m not going to let you stop me.”

Another pause. Then, “We won’t stop you.”

“You can’t _unsee_ things Rose…”

“We won’t stop you.” It was firm, final.

Rey stepped out of the bathroom, taking in the sight of the strong, proud woman standing before her. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Rose and Kaydel shared a look, then turned back to her with determined nods. 

“We do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this was a bit of a plot heavy slog, but rest assured, that answers you seek will come soon enough.  
> In the meantime - Please forgive me. I do not mean to make you suffer.


	23. Welcome to the Jungle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Disclaimers: This chapter contains references to domestic violence, child abuse, prostitution, drugging, violence, and death. It is by far the darkest chapter of this fic so far, while also in many ways the most pivotal. It is my duty to warn you of uncomfortable topics, and if any of the above are triggering for you, then I ask that you skip to the very end of the chapter. You can pick back up at "Rey stop."
> 
> With that said, I've had a terribly fun time planning this chapter, and while the finished product is quite different than the "movie" version I have in my head, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. The music below has been on constant repeat for the last few weeks leading up to me sitting down to write this weekend, and is vital to the flow of this chapter in a lot of ways. Shout out to the Birds of Prey soundtrack for much of the inspiration. 
> 
> And so, without further ado, welcome to the jungle that is Bentho's nightclub...
> 
> This chapter is brought to you by the following tunes:  
> Boss Bitch - Doja Cat  
> Diamonds - Megan Thee Stallion & Normani  
> Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses  
> Horns - Bryce Fox

 

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/157864775@N06/49606907367/in/dateposted-public/)

Qira knew it was going to be a bad night the moment she stepped foot down the alley behind Bentho’s to find Jabba Hutt’s goons carting bodies down into the basement, with Snoke’s second in command watching over the operation. She recognized the tall blonde woman - the one who’d been dubbed an “Extremely Important Person” when she’d first shown up at the club. And where the blonde woman was, the red-headed bastard Hux was never far behind. The woman’s piercing blue eyes shot up to meet hers, the silent threat heard loud and clear from where Qira stood down the alleyway. 

She knew to never ask questions, but if time taught her anything it was that any shift that kicked off with a kidnapping never ended well. Not to mention the mere presence of the Amazonian goddess meant the club was doomed to be packed with the worst scum and villainy of all - the power-hungry kind. 

As if the alley wasn’t ominous enough, things only spiraled downward once inside. 

“Jesus Qira. You look like shit.” 

Lovely. Dryden was working tonight. Which meant that she not only had to deal with handsy patrons, but her handsy manager too. 

“I do my best.” She shrugged, bushing by with as much indifference as she could muster. 

He snagged her wrist before she could escape, spinning her back and grabbing her chin, hoisting up her face until she had no choice but to look at him. 

“Did that motherfucker beat you again?” 

Qira closed her eyes, sighing. There was no lying her way out of this one, and no amount of concealer that could cover the damage. “What if he did?”

“God damn it Qira!” Dryden bellowed, squeezing her face before ripping his hand away. “You tell that son of a bitch to keep it away from the eyes! Is that so hard? I don’t care what he does to you under those clothes, but I need your face _intact_!”

A real charmer, her boss. 

“Sure thing.” She replied, pulling herself out of Dryden’s grip. “I’ll try to impart that upon him the next time he decides to take a bat to my face.”

“Watch yourself you little slut.” Dryden spat, his eyes dragging up and down her body in that way he did, the one that screamed out all the inappropriate things he would do to her if he got half a chance. “Your guy isn’t the worst thing in these woods.”

If he was trying to scare her, the threat fell flat. She was all too familiar with the kinds of creatures that lay waiting in the trees. It was why she stayed with her asshole of a boyfriend in the first place. It wasn’t like she loved the guy, but having him around came with certain protections. Plus, he usually spared her a week or so after he hit her - longer after a particularly bad beating like this one. It could be worse. Not so long ago, it had been. And it would be again if she didn’t watch her tongue. 

So instead of biting back, she nodded, moving to escape Dryden’s sickening gaze and begin yet another shift at the illustrious establishment that was Bentho’s. 

The first time she’d stepped foot in the nightclub she thought she was in heaven. Now she knew it was actually hell. The walls, dripping in deep red velvet, should’ve been her first clue. The second was the numerous private rooms, whose doors were covered further by thick, heavy curtains. Regardless of whether they were brought on by pleasure or pain, no sounds escaped those rooms. The gold gilded fixtures, plush furnishings and criminally overpriced cocktails were merely a facade, a veneer to cover up the criminal underbelly that kept this place running, and in turn kept food in her stomach and clothes on her back. 

While Qira wasn’t a dancer, even the waitresses and bartenders were expected to perform when called upon. On a normal night she avoided that cruel form of torture, but on nights when Hutt and his cronies were around, everything flipped on its head. The man got off on power trips, forcing the women who were dressed in something that at least marginally resembled an actual outfit to be so for as little time as possible. And since he was friends with the club’s owner, he got what he wanted. 

Tonight she could only hope his palate did not include her. 

She got to work with her head down, stepping out behind the bar without saying a word to her fellow inmates. Odds were they’d heard Dryden’s beratement, and if they hadn’t, well… It wasn’t like it was the first time she’d shown up to work dressed in black and blue. 

It was early in the night for the number of patrons already swirling about. She kept a keen eye on the crowd, recognizing the usuals and those who came and went from time to time. Unkar Plutt was sprawled in his usual corner, slobbering over the poor girls who’d had the misfortune of catching his eye. Hux was either not here at all, or hiding out in one of the private rooms, his fiery grease mop noticeably absent in a room stuffed full of his favorite gruntmen. 

As always, said gruntmen stalked up to the bar with their eyes ablaze, hungry smiles plastered on their otherwise blank faces, the usual demands falling from their greedy lips. She filled glass after glass, plastering on a smile of her own, silently hoping that, just once, one of them would actually bother to tip. It was from behind the cage that was the bar top that she first spotted them: three young women she had never seen before. 

Qira made it her job to know every person who walked into the club. Not personally, _obviously_. She didn’t much want them to know _her_. But she would know them. Who they worked for, what they did for them, how they liked their whiskey, if they were a sloppy drunk, what their strange perversions were, and whether or not their women might show up swinging one day - flaming and furious to discover that their “perfect” white-tie boyfriend was actually a low-life scum bag. Tonight they were serving the worst of the worst. Every man in this room was his own kind of devil. Murderers, pedophiles, human traffickers and the like. Tonight alone the room contained eight of Coruscant most wanted criminals. If the police bothered to come looking, they could take down the criminal underbelly in one go. Not that they had the balls to come here. Brendol Hux made sure of that. 

The women that came in weren’t much better. Dressed in their most scandalous attire and three layers of heavy makeup, the usual crowd of women came with one goal: to climb out of the pit that was the undercity on the arms of a richer or more powerful man, morals be damned. 

Not these three though. They walked in like they owned the place, dressed to kill and clearly on a mission. 

The petite Asian's eyes were alert beneath the deep blue eyeshadow she had pressed to perfection along her eyelids, matching the deep blue slip dress that hugged her body just right. She looked the part, but her eyes told a different story, and she knew instantly that these women had skipped the pre-game party. Her blonde friend looked a little more at home in the club, flaunting her toned legs in a tiny silver number with a slip up to there. But it was the tallest one who really caught Qira’s eye. 

The woman was striking, clad in a black jumpsuit with a plunging neckline to rival the Marianas Trench. Her legs and arms were covered, but that only served to make her all the more intriguing. She radiated dark energy. Qira could sense it from across the room. But it was her walk that had Qira most intrigued. She recognized it, had watched another black-clad woman walk away from her with the same sway of her hips once before. That woman had saved her life, rescuing her from a gang of thugs on her way home from this very shit-hole no more than a week or so prior. She’d been joined by another man, the one known as Kylo Ren, and watching them fight together had been one the most exhilarating moments of her life. 

Uptown they called her the Scavenger, but down here she had another name. The dark leather-clad angel that guarded the undercity by night was known by one simple letter: S. And she was a capital B badass. If the woman standing on the other side of her club really was her savior, then they were all in for one hell of a night. Qira only hoped she got to watch. 

Things got busy then, her attention forced elsewhere. But from the corner of her eye she watched the three women make quick work of the losers around the room. The blonde was dancing on a table, distracting the group while the little Asian girl slyly slipped something into their drinks. S (Qira was going to call her that, regardless of whether her suspicions were correct or not), was watching the room from that same booth, glaring at the hand that fell absently on her shoulder before shrugging it off and pushing herself back to her feet. She met Qira’s eye, making a beeline toward the bar when a familiar nasally voice called out, stopping her in her tracks. 

“Girl!”

S froze, her hands fisting at her side. She turned slowly, facing Unkar Plutt, sprawled out like some kind of grunge god, two women fawning over him falsely. Their glares spoke volumes about how they felt about the sudden competition, but S appeared to have no intentions of joining them. 

“Hey!” A hand appeared in her eye line, snapping in her face. “Earth to the blonde bimbo.” 

Qira’s eyes re-focused on the man standing in front of her. A long scar ran across his forehead, his eyes bloodshot and his face flushed, a sure fire sign that he did not need any additional substances. Ignoring that instinct, she pulled out her best ditch attempt at a smile.  “What can I get you Sugar?” 

“Whiskey, double.” The man turned back to gesture for his own table where another woman sat, but Qira’s eyes flew to S, standing over Unkar Plutt’s table and vibrating with barely restrained tension, “And another for the lady over there.” 

Qira turned away to fetch two glasses, but before she could even push up on her toes to reach for the bottle, blackness engulfed the room. A crash rang out before screams filled her ears. When the lights came back on, she spun back to find S perched on the booth behind Unkar Plutt, a dagger plunged into his throat.

And then all hell broke loose. 

__________________

He woke with a jolt, only to come crashing down to reality when said jolt revealed that his arms and legs were pinned against the chair. 

“Good morning sunshine.” A female voice he didn’t recognize purred. “I was beginning to wonder if you’d be joining us.”

Brown eyes sprung to life, meeting glimmering blue. He might not have recognized her voice, but he immediately recognized his captor’s short blonde hair.

“ _Phasma_.” He spit, tensing in his chains. 

“So you _do_ know who I am.” Phasma smirked, “I was beginning to wonder. You were _so_ caught up in your mother’s little assistant.”

Ben’s stomach dropped. 

“Don’t worry.” Phasma’s eyes glowed in the darkness of the room, her smile growing as she watched the fear spark in his eyes.  “I don’t have her. Yet, anyway.”

Ben growled, flashing his teeth as he jerked forward against his restraints. “What do you want?”

Phasma’s lips pursed into a dramatic pout, “I just want to talk. Since apparently your friend has decided he’s a mute.”

Dread shot through him. “Chewie…”

Just as his name left Ben’s lips, a man screamed in the room next door, a sound so terrible that Ben thought he might be sick.

“Yes, that would be your dear friend Chewbacca.” Phasma looked down at her hand, reaching over to casually pick at her perfectly manicured nails. “I was hoping you might be more willing to open up.”

Ben swallowed, his eyes burning as the screams continued to echo into the room through the connected ventilation. He turned to face Phasma, murder brewing in his deadly gaze. “Then talk.”

Phasma smiled, crossing her legs as she leaned back in her chair, flashing her core as she did so. If it was supposed to entice him, the move had the opposite effect. “Your mother’s gone missing.”

A strange mix of relief and terror coursed through him, though he did his best not to let it show on his face. “Has she?”

Phasma’s brow quirked. “She has. And I think you know where she is.”

Ben leaned back against the chair he was strapped to, mirroring Phasma’s relaxed pose. “I’ve been in Canto Bight for the last week, as you well know.”

“You escaped.” The words had bite to them, and it was all Ben could do to hold down a bitter smirk at the barely contained frustration simmering behind her tone. 

“I don’t know what that has to do with my mother’s current location.”

Phasma stood then, stalking closing to him. Another cry of pain sounded from the other side of the wall, piercing Ben in the heart, his vision tinting red with guilt and fury. 

“I’m going to give you one more chance, Ben Solo.” She whispered, stepping directly in front of him. Her breath was hot against his face as he looked up, meeting her hateful gaze with his own. “Where is Leia Organa?”

“I don’t know.” He answered honestly. “But I’ll kill you if you touch her.”

Phasma leaned back slightly, her evil grin growing wider. “Doubtful.” She said, stepping away to walk across the room. “Besides, wherever she is, right now she thinks you’re dead.”

Ben tensed. “What? Why…”

Phasma grabbed a sleek black tablet, swiping it open and spinning it to face him. His heart stopped as the video played, smoke and fire billowing out from his building as the headline beat itself into his brain. 

“As far as the press is concerned, you’re as good as dead Solo.” Phasma spun the device away from him, amusement audible in her voice. “And if you don’t give us what we want, you will be.”

She grabbed her chair, the legs grating across the floor as she yanked it to a stop directly in front of him, a slim blade appearing in her hand, held ominously above him. “So,” She sat down, lifting the blade just below his jawline, “Let’s talk about your mother’s little organization, shall we?”

Ben had loosened the restraint on his left hand just enough to press the secret button on his watch, the one that remotely called for his armor from the depths beneath his now burning building. He was ready to spit in her face, prepared to endure whatever she had planned as he waited out the remaining minutes before he’d be able to crush her in with his bare hands. Instead, the door burst open, a breathless gruntman flying in with fear in his eyes.

Phasma shot to her feet. “What the hell are you doing!?” 

“I’m sorry!” The man heaved, “It’s just...there’s… well, there’s a situation... upstairs.”

Phasma tensed. “What kind of situation?”

The man’s mouth fell open, but he seemed either too stunned or too stupid to answer the question. 

Phasma growled, stalking toward the door. “We’re not done Solo.” She snapped, then she pushed past the gruntman and down the hall, the man following on her heels. 

Ben took the opportunity to try to further free himself from the restraints, only to freeze as the last word of the man’s muttered sentence found it’s way inside the closing door. It was the one word that could both stop Ben’s heart and spark it back to life. The one word that meant everything.

_Scavenger_

_______________________

Rey’s stood in the center of the room, bodies piled up around her.

Rose should’ve been horrified to see her best friend and roommate this way, but if anything she felt proud. Her own hands were bloody, but her head was clear. Another woman might’ve felt some kind of remorse for what had happened here. But not her. Not tonight.

She and Kaydel stood on opposite sides of the room, their own victims lying slumped over their spiked drinks. Those lucky bastards would wake up tomorrow. In a jail cell, if she had anything to say about it, but they’d wake up. Unkar Plutt on the other hand… he wasn’t so lucky. 

Rey didn’t talk about her childhood much, but she knew enough to know that the man warranted no remorse. The things he’d done to Rey were unforgivable. She would’ve plunged the dagger into his neck herself if Rey hadn’t beat her to it. 

She watched Rey breath heavily, looking like the angel of death incarnate - beautiful, deadly, and far from done. 

Rose opened her mouth to call for her, stepping out the shadows of her own work only to freeze at the sound of footsteps pounding up the steps to the side of the room. 

“Hide.” Rey demanded, before she spun, pulling out the small hand-gun tucked in the highly useful pockets of her jumpsuit and aiming it toward the door. Not a moment later Gwendoline Phasma appeared in the doorway, her own gun pulled. 

“I should’ve known.”

Rose tensed from her hiding spot in the shadows, all too aware that Rey was unmasked. 

“Where is he?”

“There are a lot of men in my life Miss Niima.” Phasma said, “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

Rose could see Rey’s brain spinning before finally she replied with “Hux.”

Phasma’s eyes sparkled at her answer. “I’m glad you asked.” The woman smiled, “He’s been waiting for you.”

Rey’s jaw tightened visibly. “Then take me to him.”

Phasma’s grin grew even wider. “As you wish.”

Rose wanted to scream after her, to jump out after her friend and stop her, but she was held back by a pair of hands pulling her back, one covering her mouth to stop her from yelling out. She froze in fear, her eyes falling upon Kaydel across the room. 

“Shhh.” A female voice whispered in her ear. “Don’t move.”

She obeyed, not that she had much of a choice, and watched in horror as Rey crossed the room, following Gwendoline Phasma into the darkness alone. 

As soon as the door slammed shut, her captor loosened her hold, and Rose grabbed for the first weapon she could reach as she spun to face her. 

She was met with wide blue eyes, a poorly concealed bruise framing the right one.

Before Rose could think better of it, she pushed the woman away. “Who are you?” She demanded, lifting the borrowed dagger.  “What do you want?”

“Sorry.” The woman raised her hands, stepping back carefully. “I’m just trying to help.”

Rose raised the dagger higher, aware of Kaydel’s footsteps crossing the room to flank her. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“My name is Qira.” The woman replied, her eyes flying behind Rose’s shoulder to where she knew Kaydel now stood. “I work here.”

Rose relaxed almost immediately, dropping the dagger down to her side. “You work here?”

The woman nodded. 

“Do you know where they took her?” Kaydel questioned.

The woman - Qira - shook her head. “No. But I do know they dragged two bodies down to the basements before my shift started. That might be a good place to start.”

Rose’s heart pounded in her chest as she turned to Kaydel, her wide eyes almost certainly a mirror of her own.  “Two? You said two bodies?”

Qira nodded. 

“Do you know where they took them?”

Qira nodded again. “ _That_ I do know.”

“Take us to them.” Rose practically begged, “Please.”

They wasted no time heading to the same door that Rey and Phasma had disappeared behind. They followed Qira downstairs to a dark basement hall, lined with doors on either side. Rose and Kaydel exchanged a look, Kay drawing her own gun as Rose’s grip tightened on her dagger. 

“Weird.” Qira muttered. “There’s usually more guards down here.”

“I guess it’s our lucky day then.” Kaydel shrugged. “Come on. Let’s check them.”

The first door they came to was locked, but the second clicked open when Qira spun the knob. The three women exchanged a glance, and then Qira pushed, Rose and Kaydel stepping in with weapons raised. 

They were met with a sight that took her breath away. Chewie sat slumped in a chair, his face bloody. The two men who’d been guarding him lay in a limp heap in the corner, as if someone had come in here and taken them out. Chewie was also passed out, but his hands were free from their restraints, as if that same person had come and freed him, but left him here to wake up.

“We’ve got to get him out of here.” Rose said, moving to grab the enormous man. “Come on, help.”

Kaydel moved to do just that, pulling his huge arm over her dainty shoulders with a huff. “If Chewie’s here, then Ben must be too.”

That was the safe bet, yes. And it was excellent news too. Counting to three, Rose and Kaydel lifted Chewie’s limp body up with a grunt. He probably weighed more than the two of them combined. Getting him out of this place unconscious was going to be no easy task.

“Qira.” The woman turned at her name, still standing watch at the door. “Check the next room will you? We’re looking for another guy. Tall, black hair, unfairly plush lips.”

Rose snorted at the description.

“What? They are. You can’t tell me you’ve never thought about it.”

“Of course I have. But be careful what you say around Rey.” Rose replied in amusement. “Something tells me she’s going to be rather protective of those plush lips of his.”

“I’m not saying I want to _kiss_ them.” Kaydel chattered on as they continued to drag Chewie’s dead weight out of the room, turning toward the room Qira stood before. “I’d just like to _have_ them. Big difference.”

They came to a stop in front of the open door to the room next door, Rose’s mouth falling open. A second matching chair sat in the center of the room, the restraints pooled in a pile at the base. A silver tray of knives sat to the side, along with what looked to be a tablet. More bodies were strewn across the floor, with the notable absence of one: Ben.

“He must’ve been here.” Kaydel reasoned, disbelief coating her voice. “Right?”

“I mean, yeah. He must’ve been.” Rose answered, swallowing. “But if he left Chewie behind, where would he…”

They turned to each other, the realization dawning on them as they both came to the answer at the same time.

“ _Rey_.”

_____________________

“Ah. There she is.” Armitage Hux grinned menacingly from his place on the velvet lounge. He had two women draped over him, both dressed in next to nothing and  looking like they’d rather be just about anywhere else. It was a position she might’ve found herself in, had life not taken a different turn all those years ago.

He gestured for them to leave with a wave of his hand, leaving her alone with the red-head and his blonde partner in crime. The room was bathed in red light, curtains making up the back wall while the same velvet wallpaper covered the rest.

With a casual flick of his hand, Hux reached for his drink, leaning back in his chair as his spread legs stretched before him. “Don’t tell me you came looking for him.”

Rey’s fists clenched at her side, her eyes glaring daggers at the man. There were numerous ways she could kill him, some faster than others. Plutt got the mercy of a quick death. If she had her way, Hux wouldn’t be so lucky.

“No.” She answered softly. “Just _you_.”

“Well then.” Hux took a long pull of his drink, smirking over the rim as he met her gaze. “It seems my night keeps getting better and better.”

Movement behind the curtained wall caused Rey to duck, just as a dagger came flying through the air, the distinct jagged crossguard slamming into the wall just above Phasma’s head. The curtains pulled open not a moment later and she couldn’t help but smile as the silver of Kylo Ren’s mask came into full view.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that if I were you.”

Hux didn’t have time to react before his neck snapped, his body falling to the floor in a limp heap. 

Rey bared her teeth, spinning into her offensive crouch as Phasma reached for her gun. Ren was quicker, pulling the gun from her hand with a whip-like contraption that had the gun in his own hands seconds later. Rey took advantage of Phasma’s momentary shock to knock her off her feet, slipping her last dagger into her hand as she knelt down and grabbed the woman by the throat, placing the knife along her jawline. 

“Funny.” Phasma spit, “I had your boyfriend in this exact position not too long ago.” Rey squeezed down on the woman’s trachea, pulling out a choke. She would kill her nice and slow. She would feel her life leave her body with her bare hands. She would _relish_ it.

“Where is he?” Rey demanded, teeth bared. 

Phasma said nothing, grabbing desperately for her throat. 

“Rey.” She’d forgotten she had an audience. But she didn’t care. _Kylo Ren_ couldn’t judge her for this. 

She pressed down harder, watching Phasma’s skin grow white beneath her hands, a sick gurgle the only sound that could escape her mouth.

“ _Where is he_!?”

“Rey stop.”

She released the pressure just enough as Phasma’s eyes drifted closed, her pathetic fight over, though Rey could still feel her pulse beneath her hands. 

“Rey…” She jerked back at the feeling of his hands on her, the leather gloves all kinds of wrong. 

“Stop it.” She demanded, spinning to face him with fury in her eyes. “Just stop.”

He stared at her from behind that mask, his body tense.

“I don’t need _your_ judgement _Kylo Ren._ ” She spit his name like a venom, leveling a punch to his chest, loading it with hatred and cursing him to hell. “Where were you when he needed you?” Another punch. “Huh?” And another.

He grabbed her wrists, pulling her against his chest. She wanted to fight. She wanted to kick and scream and cry and that was when it all crashed over her. Every emotion she’d repressed; the fear and the guilt and the anger. Her body shook as the sobs broke, her legs giving out beneath her, her body falling into Kylo Ren's.

“He needed help, and now… now…”

“It’s going to be alright Rey.”

“NO.” She wailed, beating against him once more, a pathetic effort really. “H-he can't... we finally... he just... I... I....”

“Rey.” Ren pulled her back, and she could feel the intensity of his gaze despite the fact that she could not see it. He released her hands and reached up, his hands falling at the release of his mask.

“No!” She cried, reaching up to stop him. “No, please. Don’t. I don’t want to know.”

“What?” He hesitated, genuine surprise in his tone. 

“If I don’t know, I can pretend.” She’d never admitted it to anyone, that secret hope, that hidden desire. “I can pretend… he’s… I can…”

She watched his body shift as understanding settled over him. “You can pretend I’m him.”

Shame. That was what she felt. Shame and overwhelming heartbreak. She wrapped her arms around her chest, trying and failing to hold herself together as she whispered "Yes."

She turned toward the door, unable to face him, and reached forward to open it when she heard the mask release behind her. Refusing to look, she took one step forward just as her name fell from his mouth, his voice no longer distorted by the modulator.

It was a voice she knew. It was a voice she _loved_. 

Slowly, she turned, her breath stopped cold in her chest. And then she saw him. Saw his red lips, his pale white skin, his mop of perfectly disheveled black hair. She took in all of him, every inch of his face, before she finally found the courage to meet his waiting gaze.

There, staring back at her with emotion so profound she couldn’t even begin to process it, was Ben. 

 _Her_ Ben. 

And in that moment only one thing remained true…

  
She was going to _kill_ him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So. There's a lot here, and many of you may have a lot of feelings. I take any and all criticism, as long as it comes from a place of love. These characters are complicated, and I've never pretended they were perfect. They've been through a lot of s***, and while you may not love the decisions they make, I hope you can forgive them. 
> 
> A few additional notes:  
> 1) I intentionally dropped the "'" in Qira's name. It felt out of place as a naming convention in this world.  
> 2) I've gone back and added chapter names to all of the chapters based on songs that inspired the chapter.  
> 3) Thank you to everyone who is still reading this story, both new readers and those who have been here since the beginning. Your support means the world, and I can only hope that you're enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. If I'm really lucky, perhaps you enjoy it even more.


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